The Hero and the Champion
by gothik
Summary: Selina Amell, the Hero of Fereldon, Kira Hawke, the Champion of Kirkwall unite to hunt down Anders and get more then they bargained for.


The Hero and the Champion

Game: Dragon Age Origins/Dragon Age II

Genre: Fantasy

Characters: DA Characters/Selina Amell/Kira Hawke

Disclaimer: The world of Dragon Age belongs to Bioware Games, all I own is Selina and Kiras character creations, I am not, sadly making any money from this.

A/N; as Inquisition is not out yet (hate waiting) this has nothing to do with the seekers or their operations except for occasional references...this is an AU DA Saga only

I

**KIRKWALL THREE YEARS AFTER THE EVENTS IN DA II**

The Guardsmen ducked as spells flew over their heads, followed by Arrows. One Guardsman raised his head only to fall back without as much a cry as an arrow pierced his helm and took a chunk out of his head, exploding as it exited. The Guards beloved Captain snarled a thousand curse words and not for the first time, wished that she had stayed home tonight.

She was an imposing figure, built like one of the warrior queens from ancient legends. She was beloved by her guard, whom she fought for every step of the way and loved by the people of her adopted city, for the same thing. There was not a Kirkwaller or Fereldon who did not know and respect the name Aveline Valen. No one called her by her married name, Donnick had died in the battle between the former Knight Commander and Former First Enchanter. Aveline had found Solace in throwing herself into her work.

Rebuilding the Guard, aiding the citizens of Kirkwall...and settling into her home...a room at the Hawke Estate that she shared with Fenris and Merrill. Merrill had insisted after Donnick died and in her Aveline had found a confidant and a friendship closer then she would have thought possible. She raised her head and squinted at the shape that now flew through the air, a Tevinter war cry on his lips as he raised his giant sword above his head, landing and letting his skin glow as, despite the weight of the weapon moved like a force of nature, cutting down those preventing the guard from moving.

She whirled round as a familiar shout of "Bianca you minx, that was beautiful" echoed across the Lowtown Bazaar, and watched as magical energy enveloped her wounded guards, protecting them from any more harm. Aveline could have cried at that moment as three of her friends came to her aid.

"Captain, where did that come from?" Brennan whispered as a Mage fell from his vantage on the wall around bazaar. The Guards ducked as a hail of arrows rained around them and as both Aveline and her Lieutenant peered over the stall they saw a shadow move like liquid mercury cutting down the renegades with twin daggers or impaling them with their bow.

Aveline looked down to see a Mabari pulling a wounded junior guard out of harms way and recognised the dog instantly. Kharn was here, and if Kharn was here that meant...

"**For Kirkwall, for the Kirkwall Guard!**" She bellowed and all her guard moved as one.

Protected by the sphere of magic that Merrill held around them they moved forward, she nodded once to her Dalish friend and the sphere moved in the blink of an eye, back to covering the wounded, whilst at the same time, the young Elf whirled magical energies like it was a walk in the park to her.

Aveline took some measure of satisfaction when she saw several of her Guards killers immolated before her eyes. A grim smile of determination crossed her face and battle was joined. She felt someone drop down beside her and fought at her back, the arrows flying in successive order killing the enemies all around them. Aveline felt a surge of joy rush through her...her friend...sister in arms ...was by her side again.

When the battle was over none of the attackers was left standing. Blood ran in a red black puddle, some were guards who would be mourned...the rest their killers. Justice had been served.

"Where the hell have you been!" Aveline demanded "You just vanished! You were Viscount! You gave it to Sebastian and vanished!" She wanted to hug her but instead the anger at her leaving them all spilled over harsher than Aveline wanted, still it felt good to say it.

The warrior brushed her sweat drenched hair out of her face and Aveline found herself staring into the eyes of one she knew and yet didn't know.

"I thought it was time I came home" Kira Hawke shrugged "And here I am helping you clean up the streets...best welcome home I can think of and yes, I have missed you too Aveline."

"HAWKE!"

Kira turned and laughed a little as Merrill jumped into her arms, Fenris and Varrick joined them soon after. Kira nodded and raised her hands "Kirkwall Guard...come to the Hanged man..drinks on me."

Once the riot in the Hanged man had calmed down Varrick set a tab up and joined his friends at the table. He owned the bar now, it was a gift from Hawke for more than anyone would understand.

"How is Bethany, have you since her since the Battle of Kirkwall?" Varrick asked carefully.

Kira shook her head "I don't know where she is, I just know she is a Grey Warden." The Fereldon took a long swallow of ale "Funny how the world turns My cousin is the Commander of the Grey and the Hero of Fereldon and my sister is a Grey Warden...some world this is, a big joke I think"

"You know the Maker" Varrick sighed.

"I used to" Kiras green eyes darkened again "I don't actually recall the last time I set foot in the Chantry."

An awkward silence fell for a few moments. Varrick and Aveline alone knew how much Kira had changed. She used to have a quick wit and joked about most things, when asked she had replied when you survive a blight its better to see the lighter side of life and thank the Maker and Andraste you were that lucky.

With Bethany catching the Blight and becoming a Grey Warden, her mothers death at the hands of a deranged blood mage serial killer, and Anders blowing up the Chantry killing all inside to start a war, her humour seemed to have died. She was named Viscount and helped rebuild the shattered city, then a year later she abdicated, handed the rule to Sebastian and left Kirkwall with Isabella.

"No Rivani?" Varrick suddenly asked.

"Hmm? Oh she'll be here in a few days, she's running some cargo to Orlais and has a stop to make at Denerim, something about catching up with an old friend."

Fenris picked his ale mug up and glanced over the top of it, asking the one question no one really wanted to ask. "Have you found him?"

Kira stiffened visibly and shook her head "No hide nor hair of him."

"Slippery bastard" Merrill thought she had been quiet but all heads turned to her "Oh I'm sorry should I not have said that?" and there it was. Her innocence, the reason they loved her.

Kira\ noticed the look Fenris gave her, he still did not like magic, he never would and Anders crime had cemented what he always believed mages to be, but saying that, he had grown fond of Merrill and Kira did not fail to notice the look that passed between the two Elves.

She glanced round to see Aveline watching her and a discreet nod. When Fenris went to the bar, Merrill went with him.

"They are courting" Aveline confirmed Kiras unasked question "Merrill saved him from a group of Tevinter Slavers who had invaded the Alienage looking for slaves. Seems Tevinter had seemed to take advantage of the disarray at the time.

Instead what they got was a very pissed off Fenris who had been visiting the Alienage and a very determined Merrill. When I got there they were all dead. Sebastian launched an enquiry into the matter and of course the Imperium denied sending slavers to Kirkwall and promised too look into it."

"And it went from there?"

"Daisy tended to his wounds and even healed the pain his lyrium markings had started giving him whenever he used his abilities. He started looking beyond the Dalish blood mage to see what we all saw."

"Merrill gave her home in the Alienage over as an Elven orphanage. Sebastian had the old house extended and Merrill was asked to be the Keeper of the Alienage." Aveline explained "She's come into her own. She stays at the mansion at night but during the day..she's at the Alienage doing what she does best and Fenris...well he's a member of the Guard now and a damn good guardsman he is, I made him Sargent within his first year."

"And what about you two?" Kira asked.

Varrick sat back in his seat and spread his arms "I have the Hanged Man, where Hawke fans come and have an ale and listen to me rabbit all day about our adventures."

Aveline shrugged "Life's grand, I am still Captain of the guard, I deal with what you have seen three or four times a day but never on that scale. They are organised" she frowned "You don't suppose Anders is up to something?"

"That's exactly what I think. The circle of Mages in Fereldon have already ensured he cant go there, the Chantry have hunters looking for him as do the Templars. I doubt even the Grey Wardens would touch him now and risk the wrath of people they are trying to recruit into the order." Kira finished her ale "How is Knight Commander Cullen settling in?"

"Surprisingly, he is a good man, He has the respect of the mages within the circle and the Templars. I doubt he will ever do what Meredith did. The New First Enchanter has settled in, but he has a lot to rebuild, especially with what he was left with. Orsino himself had been a blood mage, so in a way that cretinous woman in the Undercity was right.

He also has to deal with the fear of ordinary Kirkwallers, the trust in mages here is low but, First Enchanter Serrano is his name, he seems to have everything under control and he is working with the Templars to ensure it never happens again. Or at the very least, they are more watchful. He is young for his age but, shows more wisdom than his elders"

Kira glanced up as Fenris put an ale before her and petted Kharn, then set a bowl down. "It seemed a shame for him to miss out on the festivities" He told an astonished Kira when she realised there was ale in the bowl "and it is Fereldon Ale."

Wruff

"Yes Kharn, I remember well how fussy you are" Fenris bowed his head and took his seat.

"Some thing never change" Kira sighed "And of that I am glad." She raised her mug "Old friends"

The glasses clinked together but not before Merrill added "Family"

Kira nodded "Family."

They were her family there was never a truer word said and she warmed to the reunion a little more.

2.

Kirkwall felt different, an air of mistrust still hung in the air, even now people would not forget what was done in the name of freedom. Kira stood looking at the Chantry, a shadow of its former self, she saw dwarves swarming like bees over the new building, but it was still a long way from being finished. In the Chantry courtyard stood a statue of Elthena. Kira missed her greatly, she had started coming to Kiras home and would tell her stories of her mother as a child, her grandparents and her cousins.

According to the late Grand Cleric, her mother was just as much a tomboy as she was a little girl, somehow Kira had a hard time picturing it. She had been harsh towards her mother on occasions, not wanting to hear about how much she missed Carver or Bethany, Kira missed them too and Kira had lost just as much. She had not even had a chance to mourn her beloved father when she had returned to Lothering to collect her mother and sister after the débâcles at Ostagar.

Carver had said he would look for father, but Leandre told them he was dead and that was that, with the approach of the Darkspawn all they could do was run. Bethany had glared at the empty cage that had held the Qunari murderer, wondering who had let him loose. It would be years before she realised who had freed the murderer of her best friends.

"_She was so proud of you you know, Leandre told me how the Soldiers that came to Lothering would talk about the dark haired tattooed woman who was the best archer they had ever seen. She said your father beamed with pride at those words, his eldest child was making her skills her own."_

The last words the Grand Cleric had spoken to her rang in her head as she looked up at the statue. People had stared at her as they walked by, the former Viscount was here, of course the rumours had started that she sought the throne of Kirkwall once more. She ignored them, nobles so liked to make scandal out of nothing.

"I will find him Revered Mother, I swear if it takes me the rest of my life, I will find him and make him and his deranged followers pay for what they have done here."

The Mages that had sought Anders out, she believed as some lunatic Martyr to their troubles, had formed some sort of terrorist network. Knight-Commander Cullen had passed that information along to her after the Templars had captured some stragglers.

"It is good to see you Kira, but I thought you were sailing the seven seas with Isabella?"

She turned to see Sebastian walk towards her, his bodyguard, a Templar compliment, remained where they were. Sebastian was a good ruler, and the obvious choice as her successor. He was a prince by blood and he had endeared himself to the people of Kirkwall in the last defence of the city.

Kira bowed her head and got a harsh tsking, Sebastian nudged her side "You can pack that in, you were the Viscount and last I looked you were still the Champion of Kirkwall and, unless things have changed between us, my friend"

"Just showing you the proper respect Sebastian" She bowed her head at the statue and waited for Sebastian to show his respect for the woman he had been as close to as a mother.

"Walk with me Kira" He whispered and the two fell into step with each other "I know you are hunting the possessed abomination that brought all this misery on the heads of the city, why do you refuse to let me give you an army?"

"That's not how I work Sebastian. Besides send an army after one man? That won't keep it quiet and he will disappear more effectively than he already has."

"Do you think he is in the Deep Roads?"

Kira sighed "I don't know to be honest, I doubt it, but there's a chance he's found an old Taig somewhere, but the Wardens are looking out for him, more Bethany's influence I think. She had a close relationship with the Grand Cleric on occasional when she visited."

"And things with you and Bethany are OK?" Sebastian asked, smiling and thanking a little girl who gave him some flowers.

"They are better than they were, I think she has forgiven me. Only decent thing Anders ever did although sometimes I wonder if I made the right decision. After what I learnt of my fathers work with the Wardens..." Her voice trailed off a little.

Sebastian had heard the tale from Varrick. The Warden Commander had threatened Malcolm Hawke by giving him a subtle choice...do as the Wardens asked, or he would never see his wife and child again.

"Warden blood runs in your family I hear, the Hero of Fereldon is your cousin?"

Kira nodded but said nothing on it "Sebastian, do you think Cullen would let me see the records they have on Anders?"

Sebastian stopped walking and rubbed his jaw in thought "I see no reason why not but I suspect that most of the records went up with the Chantry, they may have salvaged some of the Circles records you can ask. Cullen revears you as a god you know"

"He what?" Kira sounded incredulous.

"I am not joking, he thought you were like some warrior deity come from the Maker himself to teach them all the way it is, especially when you defeated Meredith. Her encased remains are still in the Gallows as a reminder to the Templars and Mages alike about the consequences of absolute power"

"With all due respect Sebastian...Aveline has it right, I cannot hold with the idea that the less the Maker does, the more he shows his power." She saw the former Chantry warriors expression and rested a hand on his arm "I meant no disrespect my friend, I have just found my faith vanishing over the years. Sometimes I think the Elves and the Dwarves have it right."

Sebastian could have argued the finer points of faith with her, but he could understand her view point, he too had gone through the same thing when his family had been decimated by an attempted coup.

"Kira, when you are at your darkest hour the Maker will come and guide you home, you are the rock on which Kirkwall survives, a Fereldon who made this city her home and protected the poor from the machinations of the rich, Andraste herself would have done no less."

Kira would have given some smart arse remark, but to have done so she would have made light of the strong faith Sebastian had for the Maker, so she muttered a "So let it be", more out of respect for her friend than any firm belief.

"Now, I was going to go to the Hanged Man, care to join me?"

"The Viscount in the Hanged Man? I bet Varrick loves that" Kira laughed at the idea.

"I am a Viscount of Kirkwall and a Prince of Starkhaven, but my friends drink in a Lowtown pub, I like to think I hear more truths in the Hanged Man than anything my Seneschal comes us with.."

"Which reminds me, I have a little tale to tell you about the Seneschal...should he start getting bossy and above himself, do you remember when we went to Orlais with Tanis..."

The Guards that accompanied their Viscount looked at each other as out of the blue Sebastian started to laugh, he laughed so hard that tears were coming from his eyes.

"You are joking!" He laughed again.

"No I am not, his companion works at the Blooming Rose"

"Oh dear sweet Andraste" Sebastian wiped his eyes "Each to their own I guess."

"That's what I thought. Might explain the looks he gave me when I got back"

Sebastian thought for a moment and leant in towards the tall young woman "Do you suppose he has a wardrobe full of shoes?"

"If he does..lets not tell Isabella...please?"

"Deal. You men are dismissed and can return to your normal duties," He turned to the bodyguards who looked at each other in confusion "I can look after myself and I am sure Knight-Commander Cullen has more important work for you."

He walked with Kira towards the Lowtown gateway and away from the pomp and ceremony of court and pressing Nobles. He wanted some reality and he was going to get it before he had to deal with the petty squabbles of the Nobles.

"Tell me Kira is Gamlens daughter married?"

3.

VIGILS KEEP, AMARANTHINE, FERELDON.

The sound of the guard shouting orders was drowned out only by the voice of the Wardens Drill Sargent, a red haired short muscular Dwarf with a mouth as foul as his breath after a night on the ale. Oghren was sober and had been for three or four days, getting his charges ready for the Warden Commanders return from Soldiers Peak. He glanced across as Nathanial Howe made his way from the keep gates towards him.

Nathanial was The Warden Commanders second, but it didn't bother Oghren, he had known her when she was just one of two Grey Wardens left in the whole of Fereldon, trying to raise an army to defeat an army and the treachery of Loghain, so in his eyes, no one in this stone forsaken place knew her better than he did, and that was why he got away with half the stuff he did.

Nathanial had come a long way since the early days of rebuilding the order in Fereldon. He had changed from an angry young man to a sensible and well respected man. The Howe name had been redeemed once more and, saving Fergus Cousland might have gone a long way to helping with that. More often than not, Nate was in the deep roads ensuring that nothing of that mad Architect fellow remained. Oghren knew that on occasions Nate would look for Sigun.

The Warden Commander herself had searched for her dwarfen friend, but, like Oghren had told them all, Sigun was Legion of the Dead first and Grey Warden second. Considering how hundreds of miles of Deep Roads there were, the chances of finding her, were slim to say the least.

With a gruff nod of his head, satisfied at the shine of the armour and sharpness of the weapons, he dismissed his charges and went to sit under the statue of Seneschal Varel that dominated the courtyard of the Keep. Sometimes Oghren would talk to the marble memorial to the brave and fearless Seneschal who died defending the Keep. Other times he came here to just sit and think, and drink a beer or two.

Nathanial sat beside him and handed him an ale. "Apparently Soldiers Peak is up to full compliment now. The recruits coming from Kirkwall, Denerim and Starkhaven." He began, his voice as ever soft with a deeper undercurrent. "The Silver Order is due to return by months end and we are at full compliment now so the Grey Wardens have finally returned to Fereldon. The Warden Commander has again turned down the opportunity to become First Warden...Oghren has she become distant to you?"

Oghren took a swallow of his ale and lit a cigar, something he had acquired a taste for some time back. He shook his head "Selina's always been one to keep her own council, she won't become First Warden cause she likes being with her men, women and those she swore to protect"

"But what about when she went away for a month...to find her friend...she's been awfully quiet since then"

Oghren lowered his tankard and met Nathanials gaze head on "If you want to know about that ask me, Sel won't tell anyone and I only got it out of her cause I got her drunk."

"You got the Warden Commander drunk?" Nathanial laughed disbelievingly "I have seen her drink you under the table"

Oghren shrugged "You heard the tales of Flemmeth right?"

Nathanial made the sign of the Maker to ward off bad spirits at the mere mention of that name. He shuddered and nodded slightly, as if even openly acknowledging it would bring her on top of him.

"We travelled with her daughter, Morrigan. Morrigan and Selina became like sisters, only friend Morrigan admitted to having openly. Lets just say that our Commander had somethings she needed to discuss with her friend."

"She found her then?"

"She found her, and Selina said it was like loosing her family all over again by the end. She is not distant, she's just waiting I guess. Morrigan gave her a warning, about what I don't know, Selina didn't say, but if I know Morrigan, it was not good." Oghren took a long swallow and belched loudly "I am naming that one Artor after some cousin of mine"

Nathanial shook his head, he had long ago learnt to accept that part of Oghrens crudity was to name his decent belches and farts. He also learnt that his behaviour hid the pain he felt at not seeing his child any-more. "You get worse Oghren"

"Better worse than some namby pamby stuck up Dalish who thinks she knows better than me"

"You and Valaana been arguing again?"

"She argues...I snore" Oghren corrected "Nathanial, I think the Commander is missing Lelianna, she's not seen her in a year, and since Lelianna's duties with the Divine and her Seeker Order have encroached more and more on their time I think its pissing the Hero off a bit."

"I concur my friend, every time there is an arrangement for them to have some time together, the Divine calls on Lelianna once more and it is cut short or put off." Nathanial lowered his voice so that only Oghren could hear "I think the Commander is considering ending her relationship with Lelianna"

"Never happen" Oghren's raspy voice growled "I saw them two get together, there is no way that Leli would ever let that happen, those two, they are made for each other, they are fire and ice. Their time will come, when the Divine stops relying on the Bard for every little thing, like a Chantry Sister having a Lesbian film fest or a Chantry Brother having a wank in his room, maybe even wiping their arses cause they haven't got the stones to do it themselves"

Nathanial uttered a shocked laugh, although he really shouldn't have been shocked. Oghren was a dwarf and although he was a surface dwarf now, he still held his belief in the ancestors, the stone and the Paragons in high regard...it was a fool who tried to convert him, as the Chantry mother in Amaranthine had discovered when she had come to the keep to consecrate the Chantry house.

The Warden Commander had sided with Oghren that day but to appease the Mother she had put Oghren on training detail with the city guard, he made out he had been pissed off about it, but secretly he had been itching to put the city guard through its paces, he had even taken Duke, the Wardens Mabari with him.

"The Archdeamon couldn't keep them apart, the Architect couldn't so I doubt this will. She's just missing her that's all. She's only got thirty years or so to live, she takes it with both hands does our Selina...you should too Nate, one day the calling will come and you will take the long walk. As will we all. Then and only then will I return to Orzamarr knowing that I have brought honour to my name"

Nathanial nodded grimly. He hadn't given much thought to the fact that the taint halved his life span. He would never have a family. Any child he had now would be born with the taint and it would be fatal. Still he had his sister and his nephew, he was fine and he would provide for his nephew with all the love he would have given a child of his own.

"Come on kid, we better make sure the Keeps up and ready for the Commanders return in the morning." Oghren got to his feet and stretched "Just do me a favour and keep that bloody Elf away from me"

Nathanial laughed and rested a hand on his friends shoulder "I'll speak to Seneschal Maverlies"

"Yeah good" Oghren gruffly replied and walked back towards the main keep.

He ducked, his eyes flared blue with anger, his skin showing the all too often blue lines of Justice, without a thought he flung a fireball at the house the Templars were in, not caring if they lived or died. In doing so he killed the parents of the mage child he was trying to save. The expression on the teenagers face said it all.

Fear.

Anders walked away, he wanted no mage to fear him, but, if that was what it took to make them refuse the Chantry and live a free life far from their oppression then it did not matter. He smiled as he heard the screams of the Templars cooking in their armour, flesh and armour merging together. With a satisfied grunt, he melded into the night. Not caring about the carnage he had wrought, in his eyes the only good Templar was a dead Templar, Kirkwall had been just the start of his own war, and it was far from over.

4.

Knight-Commander Cullen heaved a heavy sigh as he once again made his way through mountains of paperwork. Missives from the Free Marches regional Commanders wanting help with this, or help with that. He pushed the papers aside and rested his head on the coolness of the wood, it soothed his ever growing headache. That was all it had ever been since he became Knight-Commander, oh if Gegoir could see him now.

Sometimes Cullen missed his days at the Mages Tower in Lake Calenhad, he didn't miss what had happened, that had left scars on him that still ran deep and would give him nightmares every so often, but he missed the simplicity of it. Still when Serrar Hawke had offered him this job, she said it was to show Kirkwall that the Viscount still had faith in the Order. She had also commented that she saw no one better filling the void left by Meredith.

Meredith.

Cullen would have followed her to the fires of hell and back, but she had become possessed by that bloody lyrium Idol. She had always been strict but in the end she was insane, believing herself to be the vengeance of the Maker himself. He had ordered her...remains for want of a better word, to be left where they were, as a reminder to the people of Kirkwall what great evil can do, and to the Templars and Mages to remind them of the dangers of corruption within their orders.

He had ordered a clean sweep amongst the Templars, anyone holding Merediths extreme views were dealt with, it was this action alone, that was still ongoing, that had endeared him to those around him. The Order looked after the Mages, yes they watched for Blood Mages, Malificarum and all that, but they were to protect the Mages from outside influence. He was to make sure their magic's served man not mastered him. That was the Makers way.

It had taken him many long hours of soul searching, prayer and touching memories he had long thought buried to change him from a magic hater to a man that was rounded. He still hated Magic, but he was not so..extreme in his views as he had been over a decade ago. He barked a come in as his door knocked and glanced up to see a figure stand before him.

"My Lord"

Cullen got to his feet quickly almost knocking his chair over in the process and made the sign of the Maker.

"Welcome home Champion, Kirkwall is already buzzing with the news of your return" _Andraste how like her she looks_

"Thank you Knight-Commander" Kira inclined her head.

"Oh Please, its just Cullen to you"

"It is just Kira to you" She fired back and sat at the desk as he resumed his seat.

Cullen was pleased about that, he had considered her an ally once but now a friend. Meredith had gone made when she found out that Hawke had an Apostate sister who was now in the Grey Wardens. She had ranted about it being like the Fereldon order again, when they had gone to recapture an Apostate, the rite of Conscription was invoked. In Merediths eyes the Grey Wardens had too much power. She hated it, but her rants had fallen on deaf ears. Even Elthena had told her that the Wardens were the Makers hand against the Darkspawn and vigilance against the Blight, she was not to upset the balance.

To lean how such a fate had befallen a 19 year old was heartbreaking. If what they said about the Wardens was true, she would be lucky to reach her 50th birthday. He pushed such thoughts out of his mind, the Champion obviously knew this.

"So, I assume you are not here to retake the Throne"

Kira rolled her eyes and shook her head "Nobles and their rumours."

It was all she had heard since she returned. Some of Sebastian's reforms had not gone down well with the rich. He had allocated a set amount of money to be distributed amongst the poor and renovations to make Lowtown more liveable and protected from the scum who thought they ruled the streets. She cared little what stuck up set in their class ways Nobles thought, the people of Lowtown needed a helping hand and Sebastian was the one to do it.

"Amazing how they forget that you instigated the same during your time on the Throne" Cullen mused.

"They seem to forget that I am a farmers daughter and a soldier from Fereldon, when it suits them, but Sebastian knows what he is doing...tell me Cullen, did Aveline agree to the whole Templar bodyguard thing?"

Cullen winced viably at the memory. He shook his head. At first with the city in so much chaos, it made sense, whilst the Guard were low in number, for the Templars to take on the task of being the Viscounts bodyguard detail. He also did not forget the irate Guard Captain in his office when the role was not returned to the Guard.

"The truth is, with the Templars also working as personal guard to the Chantry it made sense for us to take over the role with the Viscount. I meant no disrespect towards Captain Valen, but she seems to work better with the Guard doing what they do best"

"This is true but, it was a detail they have not relinquished in decades. I doubt Aveline was happy"

"She did call my men a few things" Cullen sighed "But I think she will accept this is best all round"

"If I know Aveline, and I do...it wont be forgotten"

"Oh please Kira, I know Aveline and that I can well believe. So what is this a social call?"

"I was wondering if you have any records on the Apostate Mage Anders"

Cullen's smile faded "Why do you want information on that murderer?" His tone had changed from friendly to anger in the blink of a heartbeat.

"Because I am looking for him and I am going to make him pay for what he did" Kiras tone matched Cullen's "That bastard murdered the sisters and brothers of the Chantry not to mention the Grand Cleric, he nearly brought the wrath of the Divine down on this city and plunged it into a three day civil war" She brought her voice under control aware that the anger she felt was biting at her tone "He set Mage against Templar for his own damn selfish reasons and I am going to make that sonofabitch pay." She got up "He thinks he is the only one to suffer at the hands of magic? My family has for generations on both sides. My mother watched her cousins children all sent to the Mages Tower for the magic they showed. My father was a Mage who left the Tower and worked for the Wardens on occasions. I have seen other families torn apart but, not every Mage is treated poorly. From what I understand, First Enchanter Irving protects his charges"

"He does, he is very much a fatherly figure" Cullen nodded "he always put his charges first, and although he and Gegoir butted heads on more that one occasion, they held a deep respect for their roles."

"Anders has every knowledge what he has done. Unless the Mages are in the Towers or under Chantry auspice, they are hunted, he's a bloody terrorist and I should have killed him that night"

Cullen watched her for a moment, then rose from his seat and stood behind her, his hand rested on her shoulder "You made the right choice at the time, kill him then and he would have become a Martyr and we both know dead Martyrs are hard to forget."

There was a silence for a moment and Cullen lowered his hand. He moved to a set of drawers taking a key from his chain he unlocked the cabinet and then the drawer. Once he had that opened, he rifled through some files.

"Agh here we go. Apparently he was a bit of an escape artist from the Circle in Fereldon. Seven times he escaped and he happened to be at Amaranthines Vigil Keep when the Darkspawn attacked. The Warden Commander conscripted him into the Grey Wardens, I think that decision went down like a lead balloon with the Templars escorting The King at that time. It could have been handled better I admit. No Templar Commander likes to have their authority superseded by ancient laws but that was it."

Cullen flipped through the file and shook his head a little as he read what the file contained, Anders had been an exemplary Warden for three years but then he vanished.

"There is a report here from Seneschal Maverlies of Vigils Keep, she says that one night Anders and the Commander had a furious row, something had happened to Anders and the Commander of the Grey was not a happy woman, he had gone against her express orders and she had almost taken his head off, he was gone the next night"

Kira frowned a little "Did they not search for him?"

Cullen nodded and shrugged "At the time there was not enough Wardens to spare, and the order has only just rebuilt itself after Ostagar."

"I remember" Kira whispered.

Sometimes her dreams were plagued by what happened to her mother and sister and her brother, other times they were plagued by the awful moment that Loghain betrayed the King and the Grey Wardens, leaving hundreds of men and women to die. Her best friend included. Cullen said nothing, he knew that Kira was a veteran of Ostagar, one of the few who survived to get home only to discover that the Darkspawn were on her doorstep. Her father was dead and she had to look after her family, the rest as they say, was history.

"So what will you do now?" Cullen asked.

"I'll dig around for a bit, but if I don't find what I am looking for, then I suppose a visit to Amaranthine is in order"

"Then let me come with you"

"Huh?"

"I am a warrior Kira, and I also owe Anders for the destruction he and his kind have wrought on this City, I want to stop him before he does it again somewhere else."

Kiras green eyes darkened even more "He already has, whenever I get to where he has been, he is gone. He's determined to destroy the Templars and the Chantry itself and from what I heard, the Mages Underground see him as their saviour, its like a bloody holy war"

"That indeed is what it may become" Cullen sombrely said "Let me do some digging, It'll take me a few days, I'll meet you in the Hanged man at the weekend, hopefully I will have something to go on"

Kira nodded and walked out of his office. Cullen watched her go, in his mind the image of a warrior goddess cemented. He did not know if she took this personally because he had once been a companion of hers, or if she felt stained by his actions because of all her family and other families of innocent Mages had suffered because of it. Either way he wanted to see this through with her. She was the Champion of Kirkwall and he wanted to lay some of his own ghosts and demons to rest.

5.

She stepped out of the Eluvian, her armour, Dragonskin of the purest black, a final gift from her friend, her only friend as a parting gift some fourteen years ago. Had it really been that long? Her golden eyes scoured the surroundings. A battle had been fought here once, she could still sense the Broodmothers death, dealt by the hand of one she trusted more than anyone.

She stretched, her son was safe, he was a strapping young man, hair of the darkest black and golden eyes like his mother, but he had his fathers good looks, which was a blessing. She picked her staff up and closed the Eluvian off, change was coming and there was no way she was missing out on this, now, to head for Vigils Keep.

Morrigan smiled to herself, it would be good to see the Warden Commander again.

The horses drew nearer, Corporal Amarick peered through his scope to see the personal heraldry of the Warden Commander on banners and pinions.

"Commander incoming!" He yelled "Open the gates!"

Then, with his heart hammering against his chest, he came down from the watch post and rejoined his unit, snapping to attention as the sound of horses drew nearer, not to mention the sounds of hundreds of armoured boots marching to the tune of thunder, for that was what it sounded like. The Order of the Hammers of Amaranthine, warriors raised in honour of the Warden Sigun, wherever she may be, a warrior caste that accompanied the Warden wherever she went. Made up of Dwarves who had been born and raised on the surface, City Elves of Denerim and Amaranthine, Dalish and Battlemages; there were none finer other than the Silver Order of course, but they were legends of their own.

The Warden Commander jumped off her horse and let one of the grooms take her mount away. She heard Oghren bark "Tenshun!" and Three Hundred grey armoured boots snapped to attention.

She removed her helm to reveal short black hair and piercing green eyes, eyes that had never lost their sense of humour. She inspected her men and women, from the scouts to the fully ordained Grey Wardens. She stopped before a young woman, her eyes bright and full of the joys of life. In rebuilding the Wardens she looked to the past. Better to have scouts first, so that they can learn the skills needed to be Wardens, then five years in the City Guard, followed by five years in the Fereldon Army under the command of King Alistair, and only then were they ready to become full Wardens.

It wasn't just that she wanted her Wardens prepared for anything else, it was also so that they had a life. If they wanted a family they could have one, once they took that cup, there was no going back, if they survived the joining, then their lives would never be the same again.

"What is your name?" She asked the Scout.

"Andrea Commander"

"Are you sure that this is the life you want Andrea, you may want to get married one day, have a family"

"I am sure if that was to happen My Lady, I would do that. I know the risks of becoming a Warden, my great-great-grandfather was a Warden at Soldiers Peak"

The Warden Commander nodded "The Maker watch over you Scout Andrea"

"The Maker and Andraste guide you my Commander"

She carried on her inspection and raised her hand to signify she was done, the Wardens, Scouts and guards dismissed to resume their training regimes or duties. Oghren and Nathanial joined her side as she sat made her way towards the Throne room.

"How was Soldiers Peak?" Nathanial asked.

"First Enchanter Tesarva has declared it free of all taint, but I could have told her that."

"What about the batty old man in the tower?" Oghren asked.

"Avernus? He died some three winters ago," She massaged the bridge of her nose with her thumb and forefinger "I have his papers here, better they stay with me then be left where someone who does not know the full story find them. Last thing I need is someone dredging up old ghosts."

"Alls good though?"

"Yes Oghren, all is good, the Peak has its reputation and honour restored and I have a letter for you from Felsi, just to let you know how Valen is doing"

"Thanks Selina, I'll read it later" He stuffed it into his belt, she knew he wouldn't. It wasn't that he couldn't read, he could, it was just he rarely read letters from Felsi. He had told her that there wasn't much point, but she knew the reality, he did not want to think about missing the days with his son.

"How's Alistair?"

Nathanial narrowed his eyes "That's King Alistair"

"Hey, I seen him in the altogether, I don't call him King,"

"He is referring to when Morrigan and Zevran decided to give the King a bath. They stripped his armour off and threw him into the camp site lake. Hard to see him as king after that, when you've seen every inch of his naked Maker blessed body"

"I thought Wynne would have told us off," Oghren remarked as they made their way to her study.

"Wynne was in on it from the start, the woman has a sense of humour...had a sense of humour" Selina corrected herself.

Nathanial saw a slight twitch. His Commanders old friend and mentor had died in Orlais, The Commander had taken a trip there under the premise of meeting the Warden Commanders of the Orlisian orders. Oghren, Nathanial, Sigun and Valanna had gone with her, she was shown by a Knight Commander Evangeline where Wynnes remains were and left alone to pay her respects. Oghren had stood over her grave and set a bottle of his own home-brew ale by the stone. He had respected Wynne, especially when he discovered she had a fondness for ale.

"There is something you need to hear Selina" Nathanial sombrely said as he opened her door to see Valaana and Bethany standing in the office. They both snapped to attention, Bethany made the sign of the Maker, Valaana made a Dalish greeting.

"Bethany...I wasn't expecting you back from Orlais until next month" The affection in the Commanders tone was obvious, since discovering Bethany was her cousin she had been relieved to discover she still had family.

"It is good to see you too Cousin"

"So..." The Commander set some ale on the table and poured it into tankards "What's so important that all of my top command staff are here?"

"You remember what happened in Kirkwall about three years ago?" Valaana began.

"Yeah, messy business that but what has that got to do with us?"

All eyes turned to the youngest member of the Command Staff, Bethany cleared her throat. "You know Selina how it started?"

"Not really, I just know that the Mages and Templars are at each others throats because of it."

"It was Anders, he blew up the chantry killing the Grand Cleric and all inside"

Selina stared at her cousin for what seemed a very long time, her jaw slightly open in shock. She told Bethany to tell her everything. By the time Bethany had finished Selinas skin had gone from a healthy tanned complexion to a furious shade of incandescent colour.

"He murdered a Grand Cleric to start a fucking holy war!" She roared.

"To start a Mage Templar War" Valaana corrected.

"No it will be a holy war, I am only surprised that the Divine has not sent an exalted march against Kirkwall and the free marches." She clenched her fists "of all the maddening things that man has done this...this is unforgivable."

"My sister has been looking for him for three years" Bethany remarked "The Champion of Kirkwall and former Viscount. She killed Orsino who had become a blood mage and Meredith whose harsh treatment of the mages started this in the first place."

Selina sat back in her seat "No, Meredith may have been the kindle that helped the fire but Anders was always on my case about mistreatment of mages...he never wanted to see the other side of the coin, the other side I have seen. Your sister is the Champion of Kirkwall?" Selina rubbed her brow "My cousin is the Champion of Kirkwall, damn Alistair made a remark about her some years ago, said a Fereldon refugee had made it into Hightown."

Bethany smiled a little "That's my big sis, she wanted a better life for mother and me after our brother died in the Korchari Wyldes."

"You met Flemmeth didn't you?" Selina absently asked

"Yes but she was not as you had described her, why?"

"Oh no reason idle curiosity. Bethany invite your sister here. If I know Anders he is long gone from Kirkwall and the Marches, he'll be in Fereldon somewhere, but Fereldon is a big place. I am going to have to arrange to see the Divine or one of her representatives. Damn it, he's brought the Wardens into something they should not be part off, that bastard!"

"We gonna help?" Valaana asked.

"We will have to. By murdering those people and by the dint of the fact he is a Grey Warden, whether he left or not, he has tarred us with the same brush. When a blight comes the Grey Wardens answer, when we need recruits and have to invoke the rite of Conscription it is allowed, imagine what would happen if the Divine decided, that seeing as a Grey Warden butchered one of her Grand Clerics and not, just one of her clerics, but from what I knew of Elthena, she was a friend of Justina V.

Then imagine if she let it be known that the Grey Wardens are harbouring mass murderers of the servants of the Chantry. That would mean the Grey Wardens would be Priarahs, its only been thirty years since the Order was allowed back into Fereldon. So yes Valaana we are going to find that sonofabitch and this time I'm gonna make the bastard cry in pain and relieve every moment of terror he has sown. Valaana would you be kind enough to ask the Revered Mother to come and see me"

The Command staff left her to her anger, it ate at them too, Anders had been one of the first new recruits after the Blight, he was supposed to have been a future for the Wardens, someone that future generations would look up to as a shining example. It left a bad taste in each of their mouths, they had all called him friend at one point. Bethany went to get some things and left at noon for the Waking Sea. Nathanial went with her, he could see his sister and nephew whilst he was there, check on them and make sure they were OK. His brother-in-law had died when the Darkspawns children had attacked Amaranthine. Selina watched them go across the courtyard and bowed her head.

"_You did WHAT!" Selina roared at the top of her voice._

"_I allowed Justice to live within me" Anders replied "I know what I am doing, Wynne had a spirit of the Fade within her, it was not a Demon"_

"_Wynne acted responsibly, hers was a Spirit of healing, Wynne died, don't you ever bring her into this. Wynne was a good person, you you stand there and tell me that you allowed Justice into your body to aid the fight against the Chantry and the Templars! WHAT FUCKING FIGHT!"_

"_I have to help our fellow Mages, surely you can understand that, you were there at the Circle"_

"_No Anders, you are focusing on one thing, and that was necessary. Uldred had no intentions of any good he had sold himself to the demons and betrayed everything Irving stood for. There is no fight, the Circle governs itself, you are making up a cause that does not exist"_

_"What about Kirkwall, Justice told me to take a stand"_

_Selina unleashed an arcane bolt that hit Anders square in the chest and sent him flying across her study. She stood over the prone form of her former friend. _

"_Don't get up!" She snarled "You are a Grey Warden, you do not interfere in the running of a city or a nation, we are neutral. We do not interfere in their politics, no matter what they are do you hear me Anders and if I ever find out that you have done something to bring shame upon the Order, if you have disgraced the memory of Wynne or undone anything that Irving and Gregoir have done I will hunt you down and I will kill you in the most painful way you can possibly imagine."_

"_Then I will leave the Order, I have to do what is right" Anders got to his feet "I thought you would work to make things right for Mages! You are the Hero of Fereldon, the Warden Commander, the Arlessa of Amaranthine and a mage! You are betraying your own kind!"_

_The fist came from nowhere and Anders felt his head roll back with the force, he pulled up a shield and hit her with a lighting bolt, her sword came up and deflected it._

_"Get out and do not come back until you have learnt what it means to carry yourself with honour Anders!"_

_She glared at him as he left. _

Selina closed her eyes and rested her forehead against the window "You want a war Anders...you just got one"

6.

THE GRAND CATHEDRAL VAL ROYEAUX

Val Royeaux.

The jewel of the Orlisian Empire, the seat of power and the home to the Chantry. The street lined with flowers, noble women wearing silk dresses made in the finest Orlisian weavers, everything screamed rich and nobility. On the outside, the Orlisians looked like any other rich nation, polite, flaunting their wealth, their disdain for those not from their homelands all theses things that occurred in other empires and countries the world over.

Yet the undercurrent was much different, assassinations, disappearances, all these sang of what some Fereldon nobility called, the Janus current. An Orlisian noble could be the most gracious host, but once your back was turned he could become the darkest assassin. Chief amongst what they called the game, were the Bards, a highly respected order of assassins, spies and entertainers. When a lesser noble wanted to move up in the world, he or she did it with the help of a Bard, when that happened they moved closer to the hierarchy and the ultimate goal, the Empresses court.

Pride of place and that which dominated the entire city, was the Grand Cathedral, the home of the faith of the Maker, the home of the Chantry and Templars, but most importantly, home to the Divine, the voice of the Maker himself.

To the woman that made her way through the wondrous aisles of the Cathedral, stopping to look every so often at the beautiful stained glass depictions of the Bride herself bringing freedom to the Elves of the Imperium, her fight against the Magisters of Tevinter, her betrayal, death and her ascension to the Makers side as his bride. Andraste was rendered as the most beautiful woman ever seen both then, and now.

The woman made the sign of the Maker as she approached the Sun Throne, and moved to one knee.

She could hear the chant around her, the only place where it was sung in full and it was said to take a fortnight to sing it.

The woman that rose from her throne to the kneeling woman smiled fondly. Divine Justina V had known the woman before her long before her fame spread. She alone, of all her order of Seekers knew what the red head was capable off.

"It is good to see you again Lelianna"

"You called I answered Most Holy" Lelianna kept her gaze lowered.

"Oh rise my child, you do not need to bend your knee to me, come, walk with me, there are things I would discuss."

Lelianna rose to her feet and joined the Divine as they walked through the doors and into the gardens of the Grand Cathedral, the most beautiful garden in all of Orlais, if not the world. Lelianna would come here often, to sit and think about the most trivial of things, reminisce on her time fighting the blight, and more private thoughts on her love. It healed her annoyance at having to cut any time they had short, and it rested her soul.

"You did some fine work at court my child." Justina remarked "I have already received the scoundrels name from the Empress herself."

"Even the Empress would not dare go against the Divine" Lelianna glanced at the woman that had been her reason for entering the Chantry as a Ley Sister, when she was just Revered Mother Dorothea. Now she was seen amongst the Chantry as the Divines right hand, and on those occasions went by the name Sister Nightingale.

"I have more work for you Lelianna"

Lelianna could not stop the irritated sight that escaped her lips and lowered her gaze at the Divines enquiring expression.

"Most Holy, forgive me" Lelianna began "I was hoping to go to Amaranthine for a few days."

"Ah, to see your lover no doubt"

"It has been a while since we last talked" Lelianna admitted "I receive letters, but they are not the same and I find myself getting a little...agitated that I am chosen for such tasks when there are far more suitable people for such work, especially when I am due to travel to Fereldon."

Justina sat herself on one of the benches that afforded her a view of all she ruled. Her bodyguards kept a discreet distance, they would not eavesdrop on any conversations, for the Divine was at one point one of the best players of the grand game, and there were rumours that she still played it, when she needed too.

"You are angry at me?"

"No" Lelianna sat beside her "I am merely frustrated at the events surrounding us"

"Then you are in luck my child. You are to go to Amaranthine in my name, and you are to aid the Grey Wardens in finding the one who destroyed the Chantry in Kirkwall. I am sure the Grey Wardens would not want such a killer lurking in their order, not when they know how much is at stake."

"But, I told Elthena to leave..."

"She did not, not that I expected her too. There is one that is hunting for her murderer and I have learnt the abomination is a Grey Warden. I do not wish to disrupt the ancient works of the Wardens, they have done so much for us all...but if they are harbouring this killer...well I do not need to tell you what will happen"

Lelianna knew all too well what would happen, ancient treaties would be ended, the Wardens would no longer have the rite of Conscription, so essential to their orders continued existence and they would be driven out of the land they were in. In this case, Fereldon, and after the last blight, Fereldon could ill afford not to have the Grey Wardens there.

"I know the Warden Commander of Fereldon Holy Mother, she would not allow such a thing to occur." Lelianna was adamant.

"It has been three years since the Mage Templar war my child," 

"Selina would not harbour him or her" Lelianna said again with more force then she wanted to.

"Then go and find me this murderer, ensure that the brothers and sisters of the Chantry are avenged. See Lelianna you are going to Amaranthine after all"

"I am most...grateful"

"You realise that you are now both on different paths, you may have to make a choice that you do not want to" Justina prevented her from leaving "A Warden lives for such a short time Lelianna, you must choose for yourself if you wish the pain of being left when she takes the long walk that all Wardens take eventually."

Lelianna green eyes flared "I know my heart Holy Mother, there is no choices to be made" She glanced at the tree that sheltered the resting place of Wynne "She said the same thing once, then saw that it was no fling and told us both to take what time we had together and make it last." Lelianna smiled sadly still looking at Wynnes grave "Sometimes life seemed simpler during the Blight"

"You miss those times."

"The people that I travelled with were so diverse, yet united in our course. Zevran found his redemption at the hands of the Warden, Alistair found the courage he needed to be King, on more than one occasion Selina kicked his arse into gear, even told him that sometimes people were out for what they could get, it made him a little stronger I believe.

Oghren, ah what I could tell you about Oghren that would be polite for your ears, although I doubt I could embarrass you Most Holy, some of the more sensitive members of the order I might, a bond developed between Selina and Oghren.

Sten, ah one of the most noble Qunari I have ever met, he is now an Arishock and it is well deserved I believe. He started out being as dour and grim faced as his kinfolk, but after time he started calling Selina Kadan, which I believe means close to the heart. He was a big softy, I saw him picking flowers, he played with a kitten, although on both times he said it was for medicinal properties and training the kitten, he brought it back to camp.

Wynne, always the voice of reason, the words to give us all strength to carry on when times were bleak and no end in sight, the endless machinations of those who wanted something for nothing, to honour ancient treaties. Selina was getting a little fed up with the well we will honour them but first there is something that must be done for us, if you do not do this then we cannot give you the troops you require, On more than one occasion I saw Wynne talking to her when she felt overwhelmed by her task.

Shale...ah Shale, so funny but inside the heart of a person sometimes let slip that she enjoyed the company she was with more than she let on."

"Did she ever regain her form?" Justina asked.

"No, not as yet. Then there was Morrigan" There was an edge to Lelianna's voice "The daughter of Flemmeth and never a more sarcastic uncaring person have I met. Kept herself to herself but opened up to Selina, they became friends, sisters of a sort and then she vanished after the Blight, Selina never told me what happened or where she went, but there was a spark of goodness in Morrigan even if it was reserved for the Warden alone.

So yes Most Divine, I miss them all, and I will do this because I do not wish one creatures dishonour to tarnish an order we all need"

Lelianna made the sign of the maker and left. Justina watched her go and smiled a little sadly.

"You will have to accept child that the calling will come, and when it does, you cannot go and that will break your heart as surely as betrayal."

Lelianna went to her quarters and gathered her things, without a word she strode through the Seeker quarters and out towards the coast, she was going home and that was all she cared about right now.

7

Despite all the rebuilding of Kirkwall that had been done and the continued modernisation of the city's poorer areas, there was still one place that was a hive of activity for the criminal element and the unwanted. Darktown stretched the entirety of the city and out to the coast. People still lived here and in that regard would not change. Kira had paid for homes to be built, if people were going to live here then they may as well live here and not scavenge on the streets. Sebastian had finished the project, but it still did not stop the Carta or the Coeterie from making their bases here.

Fenris kept watch for anything that lurked in the shadows, his eyesight picking out areas where the opportunists would sit, watch and wait for some unsuspecting mark to pass through. However, if there was any thief waiting they left the group alone. Especially seeing as one of them was Guard Captain.

"Now this," Varrick rested one hand on Bianca's stock, ready for anything when it happened "This I missed. Its all well and good owning a bar, its great but I miss the days we kicked arse and Bianca couldn't get enough of the thugs she lifted off their feet. I still say she had a higher kill count"

Aveline shook her head a little but, the wry half smile was there. She too had missed this part of their friendship, clearing out the scum from the Undercity had been fun.

"These people that we are going to see, they are living in fear" Merrill began "They have come from Fereldon and the Free Marches, not all of them are Mages but, well what they have told me, I thought it was something we would need to know." 

Kira glanced across at her Dailish friend "They have nothing to fear from me sister, that I promise."

Merrill nodded and they followed her down to one of the communal passages, then out into the main thoroughfare. They must have walked for a good hour or two when Merrill stopped and knocked at a door. She spoke quietly and the door was opened. As soon as the occupants saw Fenris and Aveline they began to cry.

"We mean you no harm" Fenris raised his hands "Our friend is looking for information only"

As he spoke he took in their appearances, haggard, scared, tired, and some had wounds that had been magical in nature. Some had haunted looks about them and others were angry. What had happened to these people?

Merrill crouched down as Kira made her way into the building with Varrick who immediately turned round, walked out and spoke to someone, a bag of gold passed hands and the stranger ran off. When he came back he adjusted his chain.

"They need care, I've sent for Healer Walker and some food for them. Poor bastards"

"This is Serrar Hawke, she is here to ask what happened to you all"

"The Champion...a native of our beloved Fereldon" One woman grabbed Kira's hand and kissed it, tears falling down dirt streaked cheeks "He killed the men that came for my son and my daughter. He said they wanted to harm them but they didn't. They were gentle and kind and told us that we could write them, although we would be limited to how many times we could visit...my children are dead now..."

Kira and Aveline exchanged horrified looks and Kira knelt down "Tell me what happened" She directed it at anyone, not necessarily the weeping mother.

"The Mages have been able to govern their own since the end of the blight" A man in a hooded cloak stepped forward "We have always respected the law of the Chantry and the need for the Templars, never more so when Uldred did what he did during the blight. When it was over the Warden Commander asked the King and Queen for a boon, that the Mages circle in Fereldon, be able to govern itself although the Templars would still be a presence for protection. It was granted by King Alistair.

We served Irving well and our Commander Gregoir was respected and feared in equal measure. Three weeks ago I was on a detachment to the town of Rainton Forest. One of the few settlements where the Humans and Dalish work and live side by side, honouring ancient pacts made between the two races."

Kira glanced at Merrill "Really?"

"Rainton Forest was home to the Rangers of the Shem clans. They cared little for the mistrust between the People and humans. The story goes that a lords son fell in love with a Dailish girl, through that marriage agreements were made. The people of the town would guard the outer forest, whilst the Dailish the inner. They trade and work together and it is said the Creators smiled on such innocent friendship."

"We have always had an agreement with the people of the forest. If their children showed nature magic they had the choice to learn from the Dalish, as honouring their pact set down by the ancients of long past. It was a situation that we wanted to keep, it was peace." The man rested his hand on the weeping mothers shoulder.

They heard the clink of armour and Aveline realised he was a Templar of some description. He gently guided the woman to one of her kin and removed his hood. None of them could stop the gasps of horror as his face was revealed.

Half of his face had merged with his helm, the armour had fused to his body and he looked to be in constant pain whenever he moved. How in the name of Andraste he even managed to make it to Kirkwall was beyond them.

"My unit and I were waiting to see which children were to come with us. We did not go in heavy handed as some commanders do, my commander came from that area and she knew how it worked. We honoured that. We gave the parents the choice and one or two went with the Dailish, four were to come with us. We partook in the rites of leaving, promising the parents that their children will be taught according to the maker, that Irving would see to their care and ensure that they were given all they could be in the years they would be there.

He came demanding we free them, he would not listen to the parents when they told him that their children were not being kidnapped. Any who did not listed to him died, the children save one, died he wiped them all out, saying that their souls were now free from Templar oppression" The Templar wrung his hands a little "The pain I was in...I am in, was nothing compared to the pain of these people. He burnt their homes and told them to leave, lest the Templars come back. The Dailish offered shelter and care for those who were wounded but some left their ancient home, looking for help, because we were close to the sea we came here, looking for the Champion, now Maker be praised, we found you."

He stumbled forward and both Kira and Aveline caught him, lowered him to the ground. Varrick went back outside then came in. after what seemed like an age, but was really five minuets, the healer came, accompanied by Knight Rearnan.

"Brother Sanders" The Templar knelt down "Rest Brother, you are in the care of the Maker now"

"He gave them no chance. The Dailish kindly took in the children that could not travel, ask for Keeper Aranthal, respect the traditions we have kept and she will help...he killed my men and women as they sheltered the families."

Kira heard him sob, then silence. She reached over and closed his one eye. Rearnan removed her helm, "We will take the families to the smaller Chantry and First Enchanter Serrano will come see them."

"I will find him." Kira felt sick. It was almost as if she could see in her minds eye the carnage he wrought.

"He told us that he was going to free us all. His skin lined blue, he smiled as he killed." another man whispered "my daughter she is showing signs of magic, she ran into the forest and Maker bless the Elves, they took her in. I came to help those less fortunate,"

"There are families there, but our town, its gone, been there for more years then I recall, and now its gone. A ghost town"

Kira watched Merrill leave, Fenris went after her and Kira sat and listened to other accounts. He was in Fereldon, but he did not care who he hurt. Was this really what Justice had been? Or was Anders rage so great that he only saw death as a way of freedom? She didn't know, she just knew that he was a killer and a dangerous one at that.

When she left the building she walked down the path to the coastal road and finally her knees gave way, she sank to the sand, her fingers gripping the sand. As her friends exited the cave they heard a scream of rage, one that they had not heard since Kira had found her mothers body, and there was nothing they could say or do, because they felt it too.

8.

**THE TOWN OF BELHAR, SOMEWHERE ALONG THE FROSTBACK MOUNTAIN RANGE**

He walked into the town and stretched, his face towards the milky sunlight, he closed his eyes as the efforts of the last week caught up with him and he slumped a little. He was caught by two people and helped to his home, there his acolytes ensured he was comfortable then went about attending to his needs.

Here in Belhar, an ancient town, a magical town Anders lived, away from any trade route, away from any other hints of civilisation, this is where Anders had his base of operations. Mages could come here without fear of Templars or Chantry retribution. The Frostback Mountains provided shelter and there was only one accessible path, any other led to steep drops or bog land that swallowed a man whole.

His people here traded with the Dwarfs and it was a mutually benefit arrangement, King Bheln said he would keep their town a secret, and Anders took in those who were ejected from Orzamarr, some of them stayed here, others stayed for a bit then left, once they had got used to the sky.

"You are tired Anders" A sultry female voice whispered close to his ear.

He massaged the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger. He was tired, he had done much, He had a following that rivalled any mercenary band. Those ignorant souls called him a terrorist, a murderer; the enlightened called him a saviour.

"I am weary yes" he finally spoke "Once I have slept I will be fine"

The woman took a bowl of hot water and set it beside her, then sitting down she removed his boots and directed him to put his feet in the water. He drew a sharp intake of breath then a sigh of contentment, as his aching feet began to cool down.

"You know they will find you one day."

"Who?"

"The Hero and the Champion" She began to soap his feet up "It is inevitable"

"Let them come, I am not afraid of them,"

That was a lie and she knew it. He might not have been afraid of the Hawke, he proved that when he blew the Chantry up right before her eyes and the eyes of the Former First Enchanter and Knight-Commander. He was however afraid of the Warden, her magics had grown beyond anything any of them who knew her from her time at the circle knew.

His eyes turned to the scene outside his window, the town Guard went about their business, non magical and magical people lived here, families who had their lives torn apart by the Chantry and the Templars, those that saw him as a messiah of sorts, who was he to disappoint? He had told Kira, he had warned her that this is what he was and what he would do. She should have killed him, the legend would have been complete then, but she hadn't, she did not want a martyr running amongst the minds of every apostate and blood mage that took their frustrations out on the innocent.

He had wandered for a year, hiding and killing whenever the need arose, eventually after months on the run he came across this town, a run down place but the magical energies contained here, he felt like he had been led here by Andraste herself. He was a religious man, but he held with the old beliefs of Andraste, not the rhetoric that the Chantry put out, the perversions of her words, the desecration of her works. He drew the lost and the needy towards him and he welcomed them. Slowly over a year, the town was reborn and it became his home. The people here idolised him, be they magical or not. ALL had a story to tell and ALL were welcome.

He closed his eyes and drifted into a deep sleep. Adrianna, his second and his lover, dried his feet and taking a throw from the sofas back, she put it over him, ushering the other two acolytes out of the house she closed the door behind her. Told two guards to stay on his door and allow none to disturb him. One of the guards, a woman by the name of Ursula had seen this devotion before, she had it herself. She had been part of Sur Culthains regiment. She had been loyal to Loghain, and when he had died at the hands of the Champion she and some of her brothers in arms had fled here. Now she served a new Lord, one that would address the issues needed, one that she had given her soul to.

Eventually, once they had seen to the false Chantry and its robotic followers, they would take on the Divine herself, that was years away but it was always the plan. With the fall of the Chantry all Mages, all citizens will be free from the interference of the Divine and her sheep. That was what Ursula believed and wanted to believe, the Chantry had too much power and they needed slapping, and Anders...she did not care that he was a mage, he had charisma that just compelled you to follow him, and she would follow him through the fires of the fade and back if necessary.

Anders slept and the only time he was at peace was when he slept, the spirit that had been Justice screamed at him from the Fade, ranted at him, but Anders mentally dispelled it put the spirit back where it belonged, he was justice, he was vengeance and there would be no arguing about it. He smiled in his sleep, yes he was all that and more, so much more.

**KIRKWALL**

The Alienage looked beautiful, the Elven celebrations, a custom of their gods, brought back by Merrill were in full swing. The Elves respected the Maker but had found their way again thanks to their Keeper. They were celebrating the mid-summers eve, and all from Lowtown, Hightown and the Docks came, joining in the festivities. Aveline, for once not in her Guard Captains uniform, stood with Brennan, who was. The Guard were here to keep peace and mainly to stop drunken arguments, as what happened at these sort of things, but it was a relaxed Guard. It was amazing how things changed.

The Alienage was no longer a source of scorn, but one of pride, Merrill had found a deep respect and love she had not had with her own Clan, it mattered not to Aveline, people were having fun and forgetting the hate that supposedly existed, they were just people enjoying the festivities and celebrations of the Summers Eve.

"What in the name of the Maker..." Brennan hissed under her breath.

Aveline turned her head and shook it then rolled her eyes "The Sluts back I see" but whereas once it had been a insult, now there was a slight smile on the face of the Guard Captain.

She moved like a panther, grace in her every form. Wearing the outfit of a pirate queen, for that is what she was and what she had always been. Across her back two daggers, given to her by her lover years ago and honed to perfection by her duellist skills. She carried herself with an air of confidence and it was natural to her.

She stopped at the bottom of the steps and took an ale from a tray, drank it in one, set it back down and got another. Seeing Aveline, she made her way over and bowed before her, her ample cleavage on show.

"And how, by the Maker, is the Amazon guard captain all big and bullish and scaring the piss out of criminals and recruits alike? Who couldn't get laid unless she scared them to death first?"

Brennan scowled and her hand moved to her sword, but her Captain didn't seem to take offence.

"Does Hawke know you've opened up shop again? Need me to send a healer over for those nasty little diseases whores get? You must have a cabin full by now"

"That's my girl" Isabella laughed and was drawn into a hug "Its good to see you Aveline"

"You too Isabella, Hawkes around somewhere."

"If you will excuse me Aveline, I am back on duty" Brennan bowed her head leaving the two old friends alone.

Isabella and Aveline had a strange friendship, one born out of hate, both of them couldn't stand the sight of each other at first and their constant bickering and insult hurling became a source of amusement for Varrick and the others, a headache for Hawke. Eventually though it became apparent that they had found common ground, and it was more a ritual between them. It didn't mean that they didn't care about each other. It just wouldn't be them if they didn't hurl the odd insult.

Aveline told her what had happened over the last few days and Isabella rolled her eyes, "If he had any sense he would have jumped off a cliff and drowned a long time ago." The bitterness in her voice was not hidden, nor did she attempt to hide it. "Kira had always blamed herself for what he did."

"That wasn't her fault," Aveline scowled "He is mad clearly"

"Oh no Tigress, he is far from mad, all over Denerim there are stories of the mage with glowing eyes, even Orlais speaks of him with fear, and usually the only thing to scare the shit out of an Orlisian is discovering your mistress is a Qunari Averard"

Aveline choked on her ale and wiped her mouth. "Varrick said what happened when you went with the King, are you...recovered?"

"It cleared a few...issues I had."

"Isabella, I had no idea that your mother..."

"Enough Tigress" Isabella raised a single finger "I do not care to think about her. She sold me because I would not convert, I changed my name and that's all there is too it. The only wish I have...is that my mother could have been more like Leandre."

"Yes. I have no memories of my mother, but Leandre...well she mothered us all didn't she?"

"She had an evil sense of humour. Like the time that those snobbish women were looking down on me you and Merrill and Sandal hung from the chandelier in the all together, screaming enchantment with his dangler hanging."

Aveline began to laugh "What was it Leandre said...oh yes..."

"And on Mondays he slides down the bannisters" they said in unison. "Oh I miss them." Isabella sighed "But they are doing well in Orlais, however I think Bodan might return to Denerim at some point. His wife might be missing him"

Isabella turned to look at the crowds, smiled a little and excused herself. Aveline watched as she made her way through the crowd with that swagger of hers, until she found her mark.

Kira felt a hot breath on her neck and the Rivani accent "Tell me hot stuff, what's a Pirate to do round here?" Kira smiled a little and flipped Isabella over her shoulder and into her arms. "That's a start" Kira didn't answer, Isabella found her mouth on hers and responded eagerly "and that," the Pirate breathlessly said "Is all I needed to know."

Kira nuzzled her neck and let her stand straighter, her arms still locked around her waist. "When did you get in?"

"An hour ago. You don't think I was going to miss this do you..all the ale a woman can drink and friends to catch up with...and a lover to catch up with." her tone dropped a little

Before Kira could answer Merrill came running over dragging Fenris. "IZZY"

"Hello Kitten" Isabella smiled warmly and hugged her friend she kissed Fenris then turned to the amused Hawke "Shall we show the tree huggers how to dance?"

"Lead on" Kira bowed. Her hand was grabbed and as Aveline, Sebastian and Varrick joined Merrill and Fenris, the two lovers began to dance.

"Oh my...I thought Izzy only danced with daggers..that's...beautiful" Merrill gushed

"No" Aveline remarked "That's love."

Fenris leant back against a wall and folded his arms "That's eternal"

"That's a story right there" Varrick grinned "mature audiences only"

9.

VIGILS KEEP, AMARANTHINE

The door to the study opened and Valanna showed the Revered Mother in. She was a woman in her late fifties, her snow hair tied into a bun, making her face look more severe than it already was. She was not known for her patience, or any deviation from the Chantry's laws, she was also not keen on serving here amongst heathens, those who would throw the laws of the rightful god out for their own, long dead creations. It vexed her and it showed when she did not even give a thankyou to the Dalish Warden for her escort from the Chantry. Valanna had that expression her face that said "Humans, pah" and bowing her head a little she left.

"You wanted to see me Warden Commander?"

Selina remained in her seat for a moment then she motioned to the seat across from her, the snub was not unnoticed, but Selina had little patience for rudeness, and the Revered Mother had already shown her rudeness to one of her wardens. Something that was unforgivable, if it had not been for her Wardens, Sigrun, Oghren and Valanna included, Amaranthine would be overrun by intelligent Darkspawn now.

"I see Revered Mother, that your dislike for some of my Wardens continues."

"They refuse the Maker" She simply said.

Selina remained where she was "You forget Veronica, that the Elves and Dwarves aided us during the Blight and the three in question aided Amaranthine, if it were not for them then you would be a Darkspawn now."

"You have no idea what you are talking about when it comes to faith, the Maker is the one true..."

"The Maker..." Selina cut her off abruptly "Is an absent God who does not see humankind as worth bothering with. The Dwarves revere no gods but their ancestors and the stone that gives them home and hearth, the Elves revere their creators, but have a very healthy respect for Andraste who freed them from the Imperium." She saw the horror on the mothers face and allowed herself an inward smile. "When you are here, whilst you are here, serving the Chantry at the Keep, you will respect the other races that work here, live here and protect you here, are we clear on that? Should you insist on calling my Wardens, Workers, Soldiers who do not believe in the Maker, heathens then I will have no option to return you to the Grand Cleric and ask for someone who has more diplomacy than you!"

Selina took the silence as agreement, although she expected a letter would arrive from the Grand Cleric in Denerim about her choice of words. She got up and offered the Mother a wine and handed her one.

"Now, why did you not inform me of what had happened at Kirkwall? Why was I told three years AFTER the event that one of my Wardens was a mass murderer!"

For her part Veronica looked stunned, then quickly recovered her composure "It was not deemed necessary, the Chantry have Templars and Seekers after him"

"Lot of good that's done you hasn't it, he's evaded capture for three years. You seem to forget Veronica that Anders is a bloody escape artist. When I was an apprentice at the tower he escaped four times!" She furrowed her brow "It was not necessary to inform me that a renegade Warden is killing Priests, Templars and innocents! It suits the bloody Chantry when I am doing things for them! It suits the Chantry when I am kept from my love for her duties to you! Its OK when I am paying the yearly tithes to the Maker but it is not suitable to inform me of this!"

"Watch your tone Warden Commander" Veronica narrowed her eyes "less I take this to the Divine about your insults"

"You do that Revered Mother, and I will bring to the Divine how it is that I have orphans attending religious schools and leaving with bruises when they have questioned the role of the Maker and why he took their parents!" Veronica shut up "That is an issue I have addressed already, you will not be taking the religious studies, they will remain faithful with the tutor they have, Brother Raymond and Sister Tirana both have an aptitude for the skills needed. I will allow no child to come to harm in my Arling. Your methods are out of date and unwanted are we clear on that?"

"Yes...Warden Commander" Veronica gritted her teeth. "The Faithful will learn what they need to learn. I apologise that you did not know about Anders, we thought it would be contained with an Exalted March"

"More war on top of another" Selina sighed "Well you can inform the Holy One, that I am now dealing with this and I will bring Anders to justice, one way or the other, I am also making reparations to those affected by his actions and offering the service of the Hammers of Sigrun help towns and villages in Fereldon that are under the eye of the tower. You will make sure she gets this message won't you?"

"Of course, the Maker will smile on you for this" Veronica smiled "Coming out of your own pocket My Arlessa"

"Did I say it was just out of my pocket? No it will come from my pocket and that of the Chantry"

"What!"

"The Chantry must be seen to care for those that come under its care does it not? Then you can inform the Divine what a magnificent idea you had"

Selina watched as the horror changed to a devilish glint, this would indeed put her in great stead with the Grand Cleric and the Divine, Selina stood as the Revered Mother bowed her head and left, this time thanking Valanna as she and Oghren came into the Study.

"Way to put it to her Sel" Oghren grinned "I heard you out there, pompous ass she is,"

"Selina, may I accompany one of the companies to Rainton Forest, I have received word that Anders attacked there, I might be able to aid the humans rebuild and get some information from my own people."

Selina was proud of Valanna, she was still serious and very rarely had a joke, but she was happy to help the humans when they needed it. Some of the old ways could learn from this Dailish Elf, as could some haughty Priests.

"Take some Gold from the treasury, tell Seneschal Maverlies that I am authorising it, then take Lieutenant Tamso and his unit with you. Don't hunt him alone Valaana, you'll never find him, just do what you can for the poor souls there and learn what you need to then return"

"Ma serannas Lethallan" Valanna bowed her head and left.

Oghren closed the door and chomped on the end of his cigar "What are we going to do about that whoreson?"

Selina reached over and took a cheroot from the box and lit it. "We are going to kill him Oghren, I don't know when, I don't know how, but if this takes me until it is my calling, then I will do it. Anders is a traitor, a murderer and he is going to cause a holy war if he is not careful. I want you to go to Orzamarr"

"What? What the hell for? My place is here with you and Nathanial!"

"Old friend, someone somewhere knows where an exiled Warden would hide, Nathanial is going to Soldiers Peak to inform them of what has occurred. The Dwarfs know more about the lands of the Frostback Mountains then anyone, take Darma and Patra with you."

Oghren nodded a little although the scowl stayed on his face, he could see the point, there could be anywhere that Anders would hide, but the Legion might know something. He also knew that the Commander wanted anything on what might have happened to Sigrun. Truth be told, so did Oghren.

"Just don't start anything without me"

"Wouldn't dream of it." 

Oghren nodded a little and relighting his cigar he stomped out of the Study. Selina went and stood by her window and her gaze fell on the swarm of people below. People that lived, traded and worked here. All that depended on her and her Wardens.

"Why can no one be honest these days, why must there always be secrets within secrets?"

"Because that is the way the game is played Selina, you know this."

She turned to see a ghostly visage and smiled a little "Still watching me Wynne?"

"Offering my advice child."

"Even the Chantry are playing games, when we should work together they are playing their games, is it any wonder that so many fear and distrust them? Then again what do I expect when the head of the Order is in Orlais"

"That's a little disrespectful" Wynne admonished.

"True though. I respect the Maker, I revere Andraste, I just don't like the games the Chantry plays. Anders was one of mine I should have been told then maybe I could have stopped him before his rampage got worse then it has."

"The Chantry fears the Wardens...they fear you and the power you wield. Ah so many years ago I watched a frightened six year old girl brought into the Chantry, her powers showing earlier then others. I watched over her with Irving and she has grown into a beautiful, responsible woman who would give her life for the people she watches over, Wardens or the common folk."

"Even though Mages are not allowed to hold titles...not bad huh?"

"You are the Hero of Fereldon, the Warden Commander, they would not dare" Wynne chuckled. "You remember when I asked you what a Grey Warden was for, what it meant?" 

"I remember" Selina lowered her gaze.

"And you my child embody it all I am so proud of you and now you will do what you must to restore the honour of the Order, tarnished by Anders."

"When did he become so...obsessed, when did war and murder become his reasons for what he has done?"

"Anders has always believed that we were prisoners, he did not want to see that there are reasons for some actions, he believes that all Mages are prisoners. In some ways he was right, but he never wanted to listen to the facts. He has never liked the Templars, for reasons we both well know"

"The Templar left after that became known"

"Anders blamed everyone else except himself for the discovery of his affair. When he discovered that Brother Damas had died in an uprising in another city, he decided that the Templars had left his lover to die. He never looked to the truth"

"It was a blood mage wasn't it?"

"Yes, now Anders will pay the price for his actions, eventually but you will not be alone Selina, I promise you this."

"I miss you Wynne, I understand why you did what you did, but I miss you my friend...my mother"

"You honour me Selina." She felt a hand on her shoulder "I will be with you always"

When Selina turned again Wynne was gone. She looked to the heavens, drew in a shuddery breath and cleared her throat. She did miss Wynne, she would have torn the Reverend Mother to shreds without even raising her voice. She snatched her helm up and walked out of her office there was the Nobles Court to deal with now and she was not in the mood for it, not in the slightest, still it had to be done.

Life carried on, plus there were joining to oversee, she hoped that none would die, but sometimes they did, sometimes they didn't. It was all a question of fate.

"Oh Daveth" She muttered "If you were still here what a joke you would have made of all this."

She had never forgot Daveth or Sur Jory. She wore the constant reminder round her neck, she did not know what Jory would have made of events at Highever either but she missed them nevertheless, their names were etched into her own Memorial Wall in the Keeps memorial, they may not have survived the joining, but they were still Wardens, no matter what, as had been Mhari,

all she could do now was wait for Bethany to return, but she could get as much information as she could, better armed with information then going blindly into the fight.

10.

The sounds that came from the Captains Cabin were a mixture of longing and lust. Eventually it subsided and Isabella snuggled her sweat drenched body next to Kira's and kissed the neck before resting her head in the contours of Kira's neck. Kiras fingers idly stroked Isabella's shoulder and in return Isabella stroked the toned stomach of her lover.

"Now that was worth waiting for" She cooed and giggled, raising her head a little to see their clothes scattered across the floor.

As soon as they had snuck away from the festival they had been at it like rabbits. For a sex mad woman like Isabella, this was everything she wanted, but whereas once it would have been wham bam thankyou ma'am, it never had been with Kira. Isabella had told Aveline once that she loved Kira more than she had loved anyone before. She knew that Aveline was protective over Hawke, almost catastrophically so, but when Aveline had warned her that she would hunt Isabella down if any harm came to one Aveline saw as blood she realised that the big scary red head was serious. She adored Hawke, they both had seen so much in Fereldon; that had made Isabella tell Aveline exactly what her intentions were.

There was no place Isabella would rather be, and in her arms Kira found a peace that she rarely knew. Ever since her flight from Fereldon with her family. First Carver and her mothers blaming of her for his death, although her mother had apologised for that, it was nothing that Kira had not thought of for herself. Then Bethany joining the Grey Wardens and finally her mothers death at the hands of a deranged Mage killer. Isabella could see why catching Anders was so important to her. The Pirate Queen did not care for him either, she was a Pirate and a smuggler, that would never change, but she did not murder and the day that Anders had murdered the people in the Chantry she had vowed to gut him herself.

She had been tamed by Fereldons greatest Archer, and she was, even Sebastian had said that Kiras skill with a bow had been phenomenal, although she could use her daggers, she was more comfortable with a bow. Daggers were more Isabella's thing and it worked fine. She had taught Kira to captain a boat when she was away, the crew adored them both, and the gold always flowed, it was fantastic.

Kira moved her arm and got up. Isabella sat up letting the covers fall from her shoulders and cocked her head a little. Hawke reached into her trouser pocket and pulled a box out. Returning to the bed she moved round to Isabella's side and stumbled, deliberately but it made the Pirate sit up swing her legs round.

"I knew that Fereldon Ale was too strong, I am sure Curly has added something to it."

"I am fine" Kira moved to one knee "Izzy, marry me"

"Huh?" She stared down as Hawke opened the ring box to show the most beautiful ring she had ever seen.

It was simple, a gold band with a rose-cut diamond in the centre. "This was my mothers ring, one that my father had given her. It was passed to me when father died, mother said to only give it to the one I love more than my life. Well, that would be you you feisty temptress.

From the moment you walked into my life, it has never been the same and that I would not have any other way, all the headaches you gave me, all the trouble you got me into I would do all over again, even rescuing you from big bad Qunari, I can't imagine sharing my heart with anyone but you my Pirate Queen"

"Oh Kira I..." Isabella did not know what to say, tears flicked at her eyelashes. "I would be honoured"

Kira slipped the ring on Isabella's finger and felt two legs wrap themselves around her waist. Kira moved her until she was on her back and lowered her head making a trail down the Rivanis body. As their bodies merged once more Isabella closed her eyes and this time there was no wanton abandon of two who had been apart from each other, this time it was a love that was soft, gentle and deeper than anything that had ever been known in their lives.

They knew each others body, their desires, their needs and at this moment in time all that merged in an emotion that transcended any words. Their fingers locked into each others and Isabella could never see herself anywhere else but with this woman, ever.

The Templars saw the black armoured woman walk towards them, at first they paid her no heed, but one, a Knight Lieutenant by the name of Carpen frowned a little. He had been from the Lothering Chantry during the blight, and he recognised her, her hair was longer but there was no mistaking the amber eyes, or the pale complexion.

"You there, hold" he rose from his seat and held his sword in his hand "You are an Apostate"

Morrigan rolled her eyes and ignored him. By this time his fellow Templars had got up with him and were now blocking her path. She heaved an irritated sigh, she could burn them all to hell and back if she wanted, maybe freeze them, or bring natures wrath down on them, but she had no wish to harm them...unless they forced her hand.

"I am no such thing" She replied to his accusation when he shouted it again. "I was one of the Warden Commanders companions."

"Really...and what was your name?"

"Was? I believe that would make it past tense, I can assure you however I am alive"

"Apostate the order dictates."

Morrigan was beginning to get more and more irritated, she was tired, hungry and it would be another four days before she reached Amaranthine, and now this fool Templar was in her way. It only served to remind her of Alistair and that irritated her even more, to think she slept with him to get the ritual complete, had it been possible to have done it with another woman, then she would have done it with Selina.

"I don't care what your order dictates, get out of my way fool boy or I will move you"

"Hold your position Apostate..."

"I said..."

"There you are!" Morrigan scowled at the Orlisian accent "I have been looking for you all over, I told you not to wander off without me. Its OK Brother Carpen, Sister Raven is one of my companions"

Carpen bowed his head a little "My apologies Sister Nightingale, I had no idea."

"Oh well she is something of an independent type and new to the order,"

"Then make sure she remains with you Sister, lest mistakes are made"

"Of course Brother, Maker guide you all"

"And you both"

Lelianna motioned with her head and when they were out of earshot of the Templars Morrigan turned on her.

"Sister Raven? You are Sister Nightingale now?" The disbelief was evident in her voice.

"I will take that as a thankyou shall I?" Lelianna let her irritation show.

She had seen the Templars confront the black clad woman, and at first she thought it was one of the wanted Apostates, until she heard the voice. She had hoped it would never be true, but it was and although she had expected no thanks from Morrigan, for she always thought she knew better than anyone else. Some show of gratitude would have been better then nothing.

"I am not ungrateful" Morrigan ran her gaze over her former travelling companion "I am just wondering why you are going by the name Sister Nightingale"

Lelianna said nothing and led Morrigan to her campsite. She crouched down at the fire and Morrigan joined her. Not taking her eyes off the Bard. Lelianna had become...different, she was more confident then she had been before, a little harder maybe, she wore a black leather clad armour with a sunburst and eye motif in the middle. She was dressed all in black and aside from her two daggers in the back scabbard and a bow between them, she also had a dagger either side of her boots. She was armed for bear that much was certain.

"You work for the Seekers?" Morrigan asked.

"I am surprised you know of them"

"Oh I know of them, just as I know the rumours surrounding you...you are the right hand of the Divine I hear, an Assassin without peer, a Bard feared in all Orlais as the perfect player of The Game", Morrigan sat on her bed roll and took the meat that Lelianna cut from the spit for her, "you have changed Lelianna"

"Maybe I have, but I still know where my loyalties lie." Lelianna's green eyes focused on the witch of the wyld "Why have you come back, Selina told me you were never coming back"

"I am back because my friend will need all the help she can get. The one called Anders is more than what anyone believes he is, he is powerful and he is insane. He has overcome the taint and is..by the very nature of what he has chosen, worse than my mother."

Lelianna arched an eyebrow but Morrigan refused to speak more on it and Lelianna knew her too well to push her, she would just have to wait until she decided to tell her, if at all.

11.

THE OFFICE OF KNIGHT-COMMANDER, THE GALLOWS, KIRKWAL

Cullen walked down the corridor towards his office. He nodded at the Templars around him as they saluted him. Suddenly all hell broke loose as arcane energies began flying through the air, striking Templars at random and killing them where they stood.

"Makers Breath" Cullen swore and pulled a young Templar down as her partner was incinerated from the waist down, exploding in a welter of blood and bone. His mind raced with images of his incarceration in the Circle, he clenched his fist and willed the images away, he was over that.

The Onslaught continued, Templars that had managed to get themselves into cover were unable to use the abilities they had, Cullen couldn't use any of his, they were well organised and they were making sure that the Templar powers could not be called upon. Cullen heard a scream from behind him and something wet hit the back of his armour.

"Keep your head down Knight-Commander" A deep voice behind him spoke "If you please"

Cullen did as he was told and the First Enchanter with his inner guard launched their own attack. Revealing the attackers as former Circle Mages, Mages that had become followers of the murderous Apostate. Serrano killed three of them and as Cullen watched in a mix of awe and horror, the First Enchanter raised his fist and flung it forwards, caging the remaining three and rendering them powerless.

"Take them" He snarled "Keep them in the special area, until Knight-Commander Cullen is ready for them, and get me the Healers here!"

Cullen took the outstretched hand and was pulled to his feet. It was then he realised that the First Enchanter was quite a well built man. He was handsome with blue eyes that were almost white, his hair long and black and he wore his office well.

"Thank you First Enchanter" Cullen bowed his head a little.

Serrano tipped his head to one side a little detecting the slight quiver in Cullen's voice. "Do you not recognise me Cullen?" He asked. His voice carried a deep cadence and an accent, a Fereldon accent.

"I...by the maker Serrano Amell?"

Serrano bowed his head, he had been a promising young mage that had been sent to the White Tower for his training, he had come with his twin sister but she had stayed at the Calanhad Tower. Serrano made the sign of the Maker over the bodies of the Templars and ordered his mages to cleanse the area and go with the Hunters to make sure there were no more of these Killers here.

"They are getting bolder" Serrano commented as he and Cullen walked down to the bodies of the dead Mages.

"How did they get passed the wards?" Cullen demanded.

"I have not yet had the chance to change them, I have only been here a few weeks Cullen, I will rectify that when I get a moment"

Cullen nodded and crouched down "They wear a mark...look scales or a upside down sword? What is this all about?"

"A symbol of their cult perhaps." The First Enchanter remarked "They are young, and barely out of the apprentice stage,the powers they commanded to do this was...unnatural"

"I have an appointment with the Champion,perhaps you would care to come along?" Cullen rose to his full height with the First Enchanter. A slight smile creased his lips "It would seem that Thedas and Fereldon have a famous family,"

"One that like others of a warrior heart takes its obligations seriously. No matter how they were raised."

Cullen motioned with his head and the two men headed for his office "So, why did Selina stay at Calanhad?"

"It was the way of the Circle then, we were separated and only mentioned in a footnote of our relationship. After the Blight I wanted to go see my sister, but the First Enchanter told me I had other duties and that I was not to interfere with the Warden Commander, any letters I wrote as an apprentice were destroyed., it was as if she was to be dead to me. Our mother Maker rest her soul, she came to see me once or twice,but the trip to Orlais wearied on her. It could not have been easy for her, five children, all of whom taken into the circle, three died during their Harrowing, one is sent to Orlais and yet one becomes the Hero of Fereldon. Not to mention a Cousin who became the Champion of Kirkwall and its Viscount. I think she would have been pleased in the end"

"Did she survive to see Selina achieve what few mages have?"

"No, she died in Denerim I am told, before the Blight started. I was angry at her, she could come see me, but never once did she go see Selina"

"Gregoir and Irving allowed family visits, Irving said it was important for the apprentice to know that their family cared" Cullen frowned

"She was ashamed, ashamed of the fact that the Amell line carried Magic and that her only daughter was a mage. She could not marry her into a wealthy family, the family name would now depend on Gamlan and Leandre, but, when she heard that Leandre had eloped with a former circle mage, well...she cut herself off"

"But that wasn't yours or your sisters faults" Cullen gathered his papers and closed his office door "Some families are like that, others are not,"

"The Amell line has always had Magic in its veins, this you know Cullen. The Hawke? Well that was a name that even the White Towers First Enchanter respected. Malcolm Hawke was a mage that did what he had to do to keep the people of his charge safe, when the Wardens asked for him by name to help contain a threat, the Divine herself sent him, and contrary to what those like Meredith would believe, the Divine gave her blessing for Malcolm to leave the circle.

Apparently when he met Cousin Leandre he fell hard and fast, love has a way of doing that, sometimes it works, other times it does not and you are left with that fleeting wish that it had worked. I recall a letter from Cousin Leandre, she had told me about my family in Lothering, she had extended an invitation to visit. So I did and it was nice to connect with them again."

Cullen listened. He knew the Amells had magic in their veins but when it had joined with Hawke blood, well that was something else entirely. It was almost as if the Maker had chosen this family to be something more than they would have been. Serrano shook his head as if reading Cullen's thoughts.

"I know of your affection for my sister" Cullen flushed "and I know of the reverence you hold my cousin in, they are not divine Cul, they are just fate chosen"

Cullen had not been called that in a long time, he had been a junior Templar when Selina and Serrano had come to the Tower, he had struck a friendship with the young man but when he was taken he promised to look after Selina. Something the gossiping harpies at the tower enjoyed.

"I could use a strong shot of Rivani Whisky right now" Serrano stretched "Then I will get the wards strengthened and start my own enquiries. It would seem I have much clearing out to do"

"Serrano, you do not agree with this?" Cullen asked "I ask because you told me once that magic and nature work in harmony, it cannot be caged"

The First Enchanters face darkened a little "When I moved to the Calanhad Tower to become a tutor, my wife came with me. She was in Amaranthine visiting friends when blood mages killed her and my unborn child" He gripped his staff so hard his knuckles went white "Magic and Nature are in harmony...men like Anders are not. I cannot allow them to have people fear magic more than they already do, it would set a dangerous precedent, something the Divine Beatrix told me once."

The two men walked out the tower together and towards Lowtown.

12.

"I have a wonder Lelianna" Morrigan asked out of the blue as they walked towards Amaranthine. Since the Bards timely intervention the previous night, there had been silence between them, on any other occasion it might have suited Morrigan, but not now. "What will you do when Selina takes the Long Walk?"

"What?" Lelianna frowned a little "What do you mean what will I do?"

"Well lets see, Selina is still in her mid twenties yes, so when the calling comes she would be heading towards fifty. Still young enough for a life. What will you do when the call to the Deep Roads to fight her final battle becomes so strong that she cannot ignore the request?"

"Why? Are you going to gloat and remind me that love is a weakness or something?"

Morrigan heard the bite in the Bards tone, but whereas she would normally have taken a victory in upsetting Lelianna, she did not this time. "I am asking what you will do" She said again, no sarcasm, no cruelty just a question.

Lelianna shrugged "What can I do? It is the will of the Maker that she do that one day, it is the price she and Alistair and all the other Grey Wardens paid when they became Grey Wardens."

"What if I took her with me when the time comes?" Morrigan asked.

"What? NO you cannot deny her the final battle that she would crave, even if I wanted her to stay I came to terms with the fact that one day she will be gone, I do not look forward to it, but I also know that she would not want to waste away somewhere addled with the insanity that comes with the taint as it takes hold."

Morrigan nodded a little and heaved a sigh "I could take her where my son is and the taint would be halted for a time, I could also take you, should you wish to remain by her side, for a decade maybe, then I would allow her to return to her final glory, but it would at least make her life a little longer"

Lelianna shook her head "What game are you playing now Morrigan? What is the catch, you save hers and Alistair's lives just to suit your own ends" 

"And yours, if I know Selina she would have sacrificed herself so Alistair could be King, I asked her how much she loved you and the decision was made, do not talk to me about games Lelianna when you are the biggest Game player of all" Morrigans eyes flashed "I suspect that Divine Justina sent you to Lothering, she knew that the Blight was coming, the prophecies of a hero rising from the common folk to become a major player and all that. You were sent to watch and report back on how the 21 year old Mage was doing, if she would be a threat now that she was a Grey Warden.

Oh do not look so shocked Lelianna, I applaud the audacity of the Chantry, especially when they separated Selina from the only blood family she had left at the time, or so she suspected. I became suspicious you see, about why it was that you were just there, you knew she was a Grey Warden when no one else did. So I did my research after we dealt with the Tower of Magi problem. I got it out of Wynne.

Interfering old bat that she was, she never lied, she told me that Selina had a twin brother, they arrived at the Circle together and by orders of the White Tower the boy, Serrano was taken to Orlais, Selina, over time was led to believe that he had not survived his Harrowing, just like her other siblings over the years. Imagine my surprise when Wynne told me that he was alive but she was not able to talk about it...so I ask myself why is this? I wanted to tell my friend of the cruelty that had been done her."

"Gloat you mean"

"NO!" Morrigan snapped and her anger rose causing Lelianna to pause a little "Had I a sister, it would have been Selina, she was not afraid to call a spade a spade, and she was not afraid to tell me how it was, but, she also treated me with more respect then anyone I have ever met, so why would I gloat when I wanted to save my friends life; and if that meant saving that fool Alistair too then so be it. Did you know about her brother?"

"No, the only family she has spoken to me off, is the family we all became to her and her family in Lothering, her cousins" Lelianna lowered her gaze "I was never told she had a brother"

"Selina had three brothers and a sister, two brothers died after the Harrowing, the sister simply vanished only to become an abomination sometime later" Morrigan told her "Wynne admitted she wanted to make sure that Selina was everything that Irving suspected and more." Morrigan looked to the heavens and heaved a sigh "Perhaps Lelianna you should look to those who govern your beliefs and spiritual harmony, for they are not above lying to those who do their dirty work for them"

Lelianna remained silent but her silence spoke volumes as did her thoughtful expression. It was true that the Divine had saved her life, and ever since then she had become one of Justinas trusted. The more she thought about Morrigans words the more they made sense, not that she wanted to ever admit that the woman was right, Justina had shown more than a passing interest in the Warden over the years, almost as if it had become fanatical, she wanted to know what the Warden was doing, whenever Lelianna had asked for permission to leave for Fereldon, another mission came up always one more mission then she could return to her love.

Why would the Chantry separate the two siblings? Why would the Divine not mention that the Chantry had done this? She knew that back then it was the way but only if it was necessary. No matter how much she did not want it to be true, what Morrigan said spoke volumes, the Chantry was becoming more and more eager to hold its grip onto its power, and it would not release it so easily. Someone had to tell Selina she was lied to, and that someone would be her. Lelianna had heard of Serrano Amell, he was a mage ahead of his time, First Enchanter at a young age, and he worked within the secretive order of the Seekers for a time. She had never made the connection, but now, now she did, and the more she thought about Morrigans words the more Lelianna began to suspect that there was more at stake then just a murderous apostate.

She turned her head to see Morrigans Amber eyes looking at her intently "I would want to go with her" She finally answered Morrigans question "My life is forfeit when she leaves to take her long walk, I would rather be by her side, so that when she is felled in battle, she is not alone."

Morrigan nodded a little "That is what love should be, I envy you that Lelianna" and Morrigan fell silent.

Nathanial got down off his horse and led it to the stream, Bethany followed and both sat down under a oak tree whilst their horses drank. There was a comfortable silence between the two of them and Nathanial took the bread and cheese that Bethany gave him as well as the ale sheath.

"Did you hate your sister Bethany. When she handed you to the Grey Wardens?" he asked.

Bethany sipped some ale and then took a bite from her sandwich "Yes, at first it was hard knowing that I would only live for thirty years, but after we went after Corypheaus I began to realise that she had done it to save me, not condemn me." Bethany watched her horse as it began to munch on some grass "Without realising it, she gave me a place where I could be free from the Circle, Templars and out of my sisters shadow"

"Ah the older sibling thing, yes I know it well" Nathanial nodded "When I met Selina I wanted to kill her for the death of my father and fall of my house, but the more I learnt from my sister about what really happened the more I realised it was my fathers fault. It took a while but I restored honour to my family name, at least I can look Tyrn Cousland in the eye again"

"Has there never been anyone special in your life?" Bethany asked.

"No, no one that ever caught my eye...until now" He met the young woman's gaze and held it for a moment "You are beautiful Bethany, did anyone ever tell you that?"

"Varrick" She shyly said and saw Nathanials slight disappointment "Oh no, nothing like that. Varrick runs the Hanged Man in Low Town, he called me Sunshine when I asked him why he said it was because my smile lit up a room," She giggled a little "Varrick was the first real friend Kira and I made in Kirkwall, he always had a smile and a story...oh Varrick could always spin a yarn, I would rather spend an evening in the Hanged Man listening to Varrick and Isabella tell their tales then anything else"

Nathanial nodded "I have heard about Varrick and his tales, Delilah said her husband like to listen to them. He is never short of a tale or two or chest hair...so my sister says"

Bethany laughed "Varrick isn't stone born, he likes his hair where it is, on his head and his chest, he said he would look too much like his father and his brother with a beard. The only things that Varrick loves, aside from his friends is the Hanged Man and Bianca. Bianca is his crossbow and she was named after a former love of his."

Nathanial listened as Bethany told him about her friends in Kirkwall, he likes listening to her voice, he had watched her grow into a fine Warden who had earnt her place in the Vigils Command Staff, she was the Grey Warden equivalent of the First Enchanter when it came to the Mages contingent, whereas Valaana was their equivalent of Keeper.

He laughed with her when she told him about the sparring matches between Aveline and Isabella, her fondness for Merrill was apparent, she had been unsure about Fenris, but they seemed to have come to some sort of arrangement. She told him how they met Anders and Bethany had been disturbed about his talk of wanting to kill Templars.

"Anders was not always like that" Nathanial told her "I remember a man who wise cracked with the best, usually with Oghren and at Oghrens expense. He changed when his lover died and when he allowed Justice to join his body" Nathanial shook his head a little "Selina had enough, she had given him enough chances because he was one off the original five. Now,now he brings shame to us and everyone who ever stood by him and defended him.

I remember Selina agreed to destroy his phylactery, set up by a Templar who had been told by the King that the rite of conscription still held sway. We risked a lot and when the Knight Commander came looking for her Templar, well Selina told her how it was, that a Templar had set them up in order to overrule not only the rite of conscription but the Kings own orders. I think when Anders started doing what he did she felt betrayed.

As a Mage you know well how finicky the Templars can be, its like she said, "Sometimes Nathanial, we will need the aid of the Templars"now one of our own is killing them. Any ideas I had about him are long gone."

Bethany nodded a little "He was a healer when we met him, offering his services to Fereldon refugees for free. Hard to think that the same compassionate man I met has become a deranged murderer. Even now, when I saw the Kirkwall Chantry explode I still find it hard to believe that it was Anders"

Nathanial took Bethany's hand and kissed it "So, would there be a chance for you and I?" 

She gave him a coy smile and got to her feet, her black hair flowed behind her in the breeze "I think there might be. Now are we going to Soldiers Peak and then Kirkwall?"

Nathanial laughed a little "Come on...Sunshine, lets ride"

13.

DENERIM ROYAL PALACE.

He tossed and turned, his brow furrowed in anger as his nightmare grabbed hold of him and rode him for several long moments. He was back at Ostagar with Selina and Duncan. Yet it was different, Callan was there pointing at him and laughing.

"Do you know why Eammon hid you little bastard? So my mother would never find you" Callan taunted "Little bastard prince with a slut for a mother and took my wife to his bed, some king you are"

"I am a better King then you, YOU GOT THEM ALL KILLED"

He woke sweat drenching his entire body and breathing deeply. He felt a hand touch his shoulder and started a little and finally relaxed as he turned to see the face off Morrigan looking at him, with razor sharp teeth and a serpents tongue holding a daemon for a child.

"Our baby Alistair, say hello to daddy Maric"

He woke again and this time propelled himself out of bed, grabbing his sword as he did and looking wildly around.

"Alistair" He turned and raised his sword, fear and disorientation written all over his face. Anora raised her hands and kept her tone neutral. She loved him, it had taken a while but she truly loved him, he had taken a great interest in the running of court and the kingdom, he had become a well loved and fine King, better then his brother. He liked to know what was going on and would ask her council in things that he was not sure off. They ruled together and that was how it should have been all along.

"Is it … is it the calling?" She asked, half afraid of what he might say.

Alistair lowered his sword and put it back into its sheath and shook his head "No, just...nightmares"

She held her hands out, he walked towards her and taking her hands allowed her to draw him back to bed. He took a deep breath and looked at her.

"Do you know how Selina and I survived the Archdeamon without dying?" he asked quietly.

To his surprise she nodded "You took part in a ritual with that woman Morrigan, yes I know"

"What..how did you...why did you never say anything?"

"Why should I? It saved you both and it has done a great justice for Fereldon, two of the greatest Wardens alive now look after their home. I know where your heart lies Alistair, but why the nightmares?"

"I don't know Anora" He admitted "I still dream of Ostagar sometimes, but this one was different, Callan was taunting me, then I thought I woke and...well I hadn't."

Anora rested her head on his shoulder "I loved your brother, but you have become a man in your own right Alistair, you are the King that Fereldon needed most. I love you for your humility and the way you have learnt how court games are played." She kissed his shoulder "I know we cannot have an heir with the taint in your veins and all but maybe we could adopt?"

Alistair looked at her "Really?"

"There are young children with no home and no family, perhaps it is something to think about in the next few days. Come, let us get some more sleep, your sister is here tomorrow and if I have to suffer her sneering condescending pretence at being protective over you well I would rather do it with some sleep behind me."

"Its not all that bad"

"Oh it is, I can accept the overprotective sister from the Warden Commander, she has a right to be after all you both went through, but Goldanna...no and Andraste help me if she starts on again about how her family was deprived I will swing for her"

"I have a way to stop that. There is a little Arling called Magesa, I know that it is not much, a small town which my father had governed, what say I give it to her with a one off payment, the rest she can levy from taxes and the like."

"Its in the arse end of nowhere and its nearer to Amaranthine, doesn't that come under Selina's jurisdiction?" Anora asked, her left eyebrow quirking.

"Sort of, but I wrote to the Warden Commander several weeks ago explaining this matter. Magesa is a trade route, does plenty of business with through trade and the like, anyway, we met up at Lothering to discuss this, away from prying eyes and ears, and she is in agreement with me. It would keep Goldanna out of my hair and yours, and she would be able to keep an eye on my nieces and nephews, maybe even view them for potential recruitment."

"But they would have a claim on the throne, I think that is what Goldanna is wanting"

"Oh there will be strings attached, Selina did bring that up. Just wait for the morrow my love, it will all be dealt with. I am fond of the children, but my sister, no"

Alistair settled down and felt Anora snuggle in close to him, he kissed her forehead and watched as she went to sleep once more. Life had changed for him drastically, he had never wanted to be King, and yet over the last 10 years he had become a good King, and he had fallen in love with Anora, over time. The idea that it was difficult for him to become a father grated at him, and if he was not suspicious about what his son with Morrigan was like then he would have hunted her down and taken the child.

Anora could have a child by him, but it was difficult enough for them to conceive although the fun part was great. He would have to take a trip to Vigils keep at some point, it would be nice to see his friends again, and maybe Avernus had come up with something, anything that would at least allow him to become a father with the woman he loved.

Plus he wanted to know what the hell was going on with this renegade warden he had been hearing about in the circle and the Chantry. Anora knew that he wanted to know about that and she was aware that he was itching to go see his friends again, she had smiled and said after his sister had visited, that was because ten minutes with Goldanna and she was ready to kill her.

Alistair closed his eyes and fell into a trouble free sleep.

Goldanna listened as the stranger told her what he knew. The Queen wanted her away from the Court, away from her brother and away from any grasp she might have on the Throne. She seethed with anger and banged her fist down on the table.

"He is my brother, he is unable to sire children because of that blasted taint in his veins, my children should have a claim, not the man that murdered King Callan and the Grey Wardens, of which my brother and the Hero were the only survivors. Bitch deserves to be boiled alive then only wants to help if the Grey Warden supported her, power hungry cow taking my brothers rites away like that"

The stranger removed her hood and smiled a little "Take whatever the King offers you tomorrow, consolidate your power, allow Mages to hide where-ever he sends you and we shall deal with the Queen, you have our word"

"And there is no comeback on me, my brother or my children?"

"It will take time Goldanna, but we will protect you, My lord Anders swears it."

Goldanna nodded "Revenge for my mother then" She raised her goblet and clinked it against the Mages.

Wendra smiled against her glass, her master wanted it to be known that Mages were a force to be reckoned with. He did not want harm to befall the king, but he still held a grudge for the Mac Tir family, although why she was not certain. The Master would be pleased.

14.

Selina closed her eyes and muttered a prayer to the Maker and Andraste, to carry the three souls who did not make the joining. When they had first started rebuilding only one or two survived now at least, out of ten candidates, only three did not make it. She bowed her head as they were carried from the hall to be interned in the vast halls that ran under the Keep itself. She had gained permission from Orzamarr to bury her honoured dead there.

With that concluded the other seven were carried to their barracks where they would wake with nothing more than a slight headache. She was grateful that they did not have to endure what she had to during her joining. It was a good job she did not want children that was for certain. She glanced at one of the unconscious recruits and smiled a little, at least women were joining now. Although whether that was more to do with her being the Hero of Fereldon she was unsure, Duncan however, would have been pleased she thought, and if any of them had any ideas of grandeur about being a Warden that had not been knocked out of them during their scout periods, then Oghren would remind them, of that she was sure.

"The court is ready for you My Arlessa" Maverlies bowed her head.

"Amara"

"Yes My Lady?"

"Have you never thought about becoming a Warden?"

Amara Maverlies would make a fine Warden of that Selina was certain. After the siege of Amaranthine was over and the Broodmother and Architect were sent back to the hell they came from, Selina, Nathanial, Valaana and Oghren had hightailed it back to the keep.

The walls had held but many of the people at the Keep were dead or wounded. Maverlies was standing over the body of Varel, killing any that came near, when the Warden Commander joined her side, they fought until the Darkspawn turned tail and ran. None of the Soldiers at the keep had blamed the Commander for choosing to save the City, many of them had families there.

Selina had asked Maverlies to become Seneschal and now she wondered why the more than capable warrior had not become a Grey Warden.

"You do me much honour My Lady, but I want a family one day and I can do more here when you are away as Seneschal then I ever could as a Warden. Unless you plan to conscript me?"

"No Amara, I would never do that unless I really had to. I understand your reasons" Maverlies bowed her head "Now Seneschal, lets get this under way."

"I thought it best to undertake the Joining first, the Revered Mother seemed to have put you in a foul mood, amongst other things"

"Good call"

The next three hours were mundane, case after case, could easily have been settled by the lower courts. She made her decisions, a flogging here, Army conscription there and one hanging of a lesser Noble who had raped and murdered a common farmhand.

That one she had enjoyed, he had walked into her hall with all the swagger of one that thought he was above the laws of the Arlessa and the lands. He told her that the young girl had asked for it, but she doubted that a 13 year old farmers daughter would have done any such thing. She pulled the rope herself. It sent out a clear message to the Nobles, what they got away with in other lands, they would not here. It also made her more of a divine figure to the peasant folk then she already was, although many knew better than to tell her that.

She was on her way to her chambers when Private Senaska caught up with her. "Begging your pardon My Lady, these arrived for you during the Joining and the Court"

"Thank you Mikala"

Selina pride herself on knowing everyone at her Keep by their first name. It made her more approachable. She opened them up as she made her way to her chambers. One she rolled her eyes at.

It was from Zevran and he was informing her of his latest misadventures, he was expected to arrive at the Keep in the next week or two and were there any attractive unattached men or women that might succumb to his charms.

"You never change Zevran" She chuckled a little.

One was from Sten, informing her that he was now Arishock and that he would like to come and see her on a personal matter. She had been told by Alistair about how Sten had changed and became the Arishok without horns. He would send word when he was arriving so that he was not attacked on sight. After what happened in Kirkwall some years back, she could well understand that sentiment.

One was from the Legion of the Dead Commander Kadol, they had found Sigruns body,deep in the Orten Thaig. She had died as she had lived, a warrior. Enclosed was a letter she had written to be given to the Warden Commander of Fereldon should her body be found. Her body was coming back to the Keep, to be buried with other Grey Wardens. She was found with a score or more Darkspawn around her. She called Oghren as she came up ready for his trip to Orzamarr. She showed him the letter and he nodded. He said he would see to the wake, and that he would escort her body home.

"At least we know now Sel" He muttered.

"Yeah,The Ancestors guide her Oghren"

"Sodding right they better." He took the letter from Kadol and met with Maverlies to begin arrangements for the internment service.

Selina walked into her quarters and almost flopped on her chair. She opened the last two letters, one was from Alistair, telling her to expect him by weeks end. She smirked a little,that was going to have Cook in a tizzy, still it would be nice to see him again, although there would be lots of bowing and scraping and he hated bowing and scraping.

The last letter had the Circle of Magi seal of Calanhad Tower on it. She wondered what her old home wanted of her now and opened it. As she read through the contents her mood that started to lift came down again.

"They lied to you Selina, Serrano did not die of his Harrowing, he is the First Enchanter of Kirkwall now. I cannot say more, but I will be in Amaranthine five days from now. Meet me there and I will bring proof.

Yours

Finn"

She read it again,then again to make sure she had read it correctly the last three times. Why would Irving lie to her? Why had he told her that her only sibling had ended up like the others? In a burst of rage she let fly an arcane bolt out the window. Had they lied about her mother too? Not that she remembered her mother, not any more.

"_I am sorry my child, news has arrived from the White Tower, Serrano did not survive his Harrowing_"

Irving had sat her down three days before her own Harrowing, three days before her life changed for ever. She had gone to her chambers and cried. Jowan had been there for her, held her and told her that everything would be alright for her. That she had to prove the Templars wrong, that an Amell could pass the final test.

It had felt like a curse on her family. Her other siblings had all died at the Harrowing. Thinking back she had not paid it much attention at the time, Irving had not looked her in the eyes when he was told. It seemed an insignificant thing then but now, now it made sense. Why would the First Enchanter lie to her? She held him in high regard, why tell her something so cruel? She barely remembered her brother, except for his dancing eyes and his protective nature. She looked at the date on the letter and cursing got up, changed and without a word to anyone made her way to Amaranthine.

15.

KIRKWALL

Aveline knocked the drunken brawler on the back of his head with her fist and in a comedic moment he turned widened his eyes and fell backwards. Izzy laughed out loud as the Captain made her way to the bar. She ordered a Fereldon Ale and glanced at the clapping Rivani Pirate.

"I am sure Varrick loves the fights"

"Of course he does" Izzy gestured with her hand flippantly towards the crowd "Means the ales getting supped and everyone's happy."

The Hanged Man was the most popular Tavern in Kirkwall. Not just because the Champion frequented there when she was home, nor for the fact the drinks were far more better than the stuff they served in Hightown or any other Tavern in Kirkwall for that matter, but for Varricks stories. Everyone loved a good story and sure as Andrastes blood was sacred, his tales were told all over Kirkwall and embellished somewhat, so by the time it got back to the people Varrick had spoken about; it was nothing to do with the original tale in the first place.

The entertainment evenings were the best and sometimes they were impromptu. Those were the better nights and Aveline did like to spend her evenings off here. It was the one place Seneschal Brann could not and would not come for her. Ever since they had returned from Orlais that time with Taris, well Aveline couldn't look at the Seneschal quite the same way, without wanting to burst out laughing.

She had dealings with the Seneschal early that morning. He had told her it was unseeingly for the Viscount to drink in places like The Hanged Man. Aveline had rolled her eyes obviously fed up with the man's camp ranting.

"When the King of Fereldon stops frequenting the Taverns of the common folk in Fereldon, then I might suggest the Viscount do the same. However it is the Templars who are his personal guard take it to them"

Sebastian loved the Hanged Man, it was where he had met his true friends, not those who were just seeking his favour as a Prince. Starkhaven now belonged back to his family but, he had arranged a marriage between his cousin and a feisty noble woman of Kirkwall named Racheal De Mart. It had been a good match, and Starkhaven was once more quiet.

Aveline saw the ring on Izzy's finger and turned herself to face the bar. "No Hawke tonight?"

"She's gone to visit her mothers tomb with Gamlan," The Pirate Queen sipped her ale "It's Carvers birthday as well and she wanted some time."

Aveline nodded. A year after the flight to Kirkwall, someone had returned Carvers body to Lothering where he was buried beside his father. Lothering had been rebuilt but the scars remained. Aveline wanted to return there when Donnick had died, but she hadn't, that was when she thought about quitting it all and just going home. However, the more she thought about it, the more she turned away from that idea. She had no one back home, her life and career was here, in Kirkwall. So she had remained.

"Did you know Carver?" Izzy asked bring Aveline back to the present.

"No, he died saving his mother. Kira said he disliked the fact they had Magic in their blood, but not that he didn't love Bethany, Carver always felt overshadowed by his older sister. That's all I learnt about him really."

The Chatter in the bar suddenly dwindled to almost silence, Aveline and Isabella looked to the door to see Knight-Commander Cullen and the First Enchanter walk into the bar. The aura around the two men were unmistakable, their power complete and worn with the sense of it being earnt not just given as reward. Cullen, as always looked serious and both women wondered if he had ever smiled at all. The First Enchanter was a different matter.

His long raven hair hung in a tight ponytail and his eyes danced with the familiarity of one who was in his preferred element.

"Makers breath, he looks like Bethany" Aveline whispered.

"Serrano Amell, the First Enchanter" Curly whispered behind them.

"Amell?" Izzy and Aveline said in unison.

"Thought you both knew, the Amell family was always known for its magic, ran in their line quite strong I hear."

Izzy grabbed one of her sailors by the ear "Go to the Amell family tomb and bring Hawke back here and Gamlan, NOW" She hissed.

"Right away Cap'an" the Elf hurried out the bar and ran off.

"Things are about to get interesting I think" Aveline stood straighter as the two men made their way to the bar and the chatter began once more.

Kira sat with her Uncle listening to his tales of when the Amells were kids. He had brought two bottles of Starkhaven Ale with him and handed one to Kira as she lit the candles by her mothers tomb. Gamlan was a hard man to like at the best of times, but Kira adored him. He was her uncle and in recent years she had ensured that he was taken care off. Even buying him a new home although he insisted it remain in Lowtown.

He never wanted to live in the old family home again, too many memories and not all of them good, he had said when Hawke suggested it. Even the impending engagement of Charade and Sebastian did nothing to make him want to leave his friends here. During the Mage Templar war Gamlan had been at the Hanged Man, helping people and keeping them as safe as he could. He was also helping Avelines Husband when the Mages killed him. He had been with Donnick when he had died.

Kira had learnt from Varrick sometime later that her uncle had been in the war with Orlais. When he returned he had been a changed man. He spent more and more time in Lowtown and when Leandre left with her husband Malcolm he had to take up the duties that she had left behind. Gamlan was a complicated man, but his love for his nieces and daughter was apparent, if you knew what to look for. He detested Hightown, he found it full of fakes and back stabbers. At least in Lowtown you knew where you stood.

"Uncle, what was Revka like?" Kira asked.

"Revka? Now there's a name I have not heard in...well forever" Gamlan sighed a little "Leandre and Revka were best friend as well as cousins. I always found her a little too distant and stuck up for my liking but Leandre adored her. Then your mother always did see more to people then first appearances took in. Your grandfather saw Malcolm as trouble to the door, Leandre didn't and thinking back I think she made the right choice." He glanced sideways at his silent Niece. "You are a lot like him as I remember. Bethany is like your mother and Carver, well Carver was like me when I was his age."

"Really?"

"Yeah, I wanted out of the shadow of my families heroes too, now I am happy that my Nieces are doing the right thing. Anyway Revka..." He paused for a moment gathering his thoughts "I am not sure when the magic showed in our line, it seemed though that Revka had the worst of it. Five Children and all of them taken to the Circle, Revka didn't live to see her youngest daughter become the Hero of Fereldon, from what Leandre told me later she didn't want to be reminded that her hope for her family was gone and wanted all memories of her children gone.

Selina and Serrano were the last and um when your mother married Malcolm Hawke and eloped to Fereldon, Bethany became the next generation of mage in the family. Its been a curse to our family for many years, but I think Serrano, Selina and Bethany have done us proud"

"I'm sorry who's Serrano?"

"The First Enchanter of Kirkwall, your cousin."

"I thought Selina was the last of the Amells?" Kira frowned.

"Revka wrote to your mother many years ago now, I found the letters when you sent Leandres things to me. The Chantry ordered that Serrano and Selina be separated,Serrano was sent to the White Tower in Orlais, Selina remained at Calanhad. That's all I know about it, didn't recognise him at first until he greeted me by an old nickname Revka had for me."

"I don't understand Uncle, why would they separate them?" Kira sat straighter.

"I am not sure, but I would hazard a guess to say, as they are twins and both Mages, the Circle didn't know if any new strange magic would appear because of their bloodline. I do know this though, they would have been told their sibling died. Revka had told us that the other three children, Kelan, Andros and Fiana had all died in their Harrowing"

Kira shook her head "That's cruel"

"Yes, well Serrano certainly knows that his sister is alive, hard not to really, but I don't know if the Warden Commander can say the same"

"Heaven help the Circle if she does find out." Kira set her bottle down and getting up walked to her mothers marble tomb. She rested her hand on the top of it and bowed her head "I miss you mother, but wish Carver a happy birthday for me, and tell father I finally understand, he'll know what I mean."

She kept her head bowed but Gamlan saw the single tear fall from her eye and getting up he walked over and put his arm round her.

"She was so proud of her little girl" He quietly said "Her first born and everything that my parents would have expected in an Amell Grandchild. Although I don't see you ever wearing Orlisian silk dresses and I told Leandre as such. Said you are a warrior, the best damn archer I have ever seen try getting you in a dress or a skirt"

Kira laughed a little and leaned into her Uncles fatherly embrace. "That's what father would say, Bethany was the girly girl and Kira was the tomboy"

Gamlan hugged her and kissed her forehead "I like the punky look...Isabella's influence I think"

"Yes"

He sniggered "Come on young Archer, lets leave the dead to their rest, there's a dwarf comedian on at the Hanged Man later..."

"Begging your pardon Gamlan, but the Cap'an sent me for Mistress Kira...the First Enchanter and Knight-Commander are at the Hanged Man" Rene breathlessly burst into the door. He looked around, made the sign of the Creators in respect to the dead when he had gathered himself.

Gamlan arched a grey eyebrow "Well, this should be interesting"

16.

Amaranthine, the jewel of the surrounding lands and the capital city. Every Noble here was proud to be here, every commoner thanked the fates they could live in protection of the Wardens, if it were left to the Nobles they would die.

Kira stopped by a market stall and brought an apple, then chatted to the stall owner for a while, informing her that her son had passed his joining and was now a fully fledged Warden. She made her way to the Crown and Lion, her Mabari Duke by her side. Looking happy to be out of the kennels where he was had been busy siring strong litters for the Army, Guard and the Wardens.

"When we see Finn again, please don't piss on his clothes"

~Whine~

"You know how...well OCD he is about such things, be a good boy" Selina scalded lightly and patted his head. "Need you to save your energy boy if the bitches in the pen are anything to go by"

An almost comical expression crossed the Mabaris face, like he was terrified at the thought of returning to the Kennels. It reminded her of the time Alistair tried to tell him that he had ancestors that ate human flesh, she thought the poor hound was going to throw up, that and when Wynne would come towards him with her soaps for his bath.

As if reading his mistress's thoughts, Duke nuzzled her hand "Yes, I miss Wynne too Duke. Alistair is here in a few days, maybe he'll whisk you off to the Denerim Kennels for a holiday huh?"

Duke shook his head, he knew what that meant and he had done his bit for the puppy population of Denerim as it was. He lost count the amount of puppies he had sired but he knew his own and he knew they were making him proud in one way shape or form.

Selina was about to walk into the Rose when she heard the voice of Revered Mother Baretta behind her cough politely. Selina turned and bowed her head "Revered Mother..."

"Selina, I know that the idea of compensating the families struck by the Apostate and his followers was your idea, but my dear the Chantry cannot contribute..."

"Did Andraste not say that helping those less fortunate, struck by the horrors of war or murder be aided by not just the common man or the rich man, but her chantry children too?"

Baretta smiled a little and moved her hand up to cover it, Selina mirrored the smile and stood with her hands in her trouser pockets.

"I see you remember your lessons well young Amell"

"I should do, you taught me" Selina inclined her head a little "I apologise for the way I put the remark Grand Cleric, but I do not apologise for what I said and the longer my Wardens and non Maker followers at my Keep have to suffer Mother Veronicas racism the more...tense I am going to get."

"She is not settled then?"

"She forgets that the Ancestors and Creators sent their children to aid against the Blight I think, and the Qunari too"

"Now that's going too far!" Baretta snapped a little "The Qunari are heathens..."

"No they are not Revered Mother, they have a different Philosophy, one that does not sit well with the Chantry or others, but never the less, a Qunari warrior stood by my side, called me his Kadan and fought with me against the Archdeamon, even the King calls him a friend"

"Even so..."

"Oh and whilst I am on the subject, the King will be here in a few days...let the good people of the city know, but no bowing and scrapping and no bunting, he really hates bunting, but loves party hats"

Baretta arched an eyebrow "Selina, that is a little disrespectful to the King to speak of him in such a tone"

Selina laughed a little "He was a Grey Warden"

"He is now the King, you must treat him with some measure of respect and decorum"

"Grand Cleric, I have seen Alistair in the nude, washing his man bits and playing with it when he thought no one was looking, I have seen him waist deep in Dark Road shit and piss and I have seen him laugh and cry in equal measure. I have seen him eat like a starving man and I have seen him go all gooey over the simple things. I think I have long ago earnt the right to treat Alistair as a normal person." She inclined her head and turning made her way to the door of the Inn, she could see the Grand Clerics expression and could imagine her prayers now. "Oh Selina, you are so going to hell for that" She said to herself and chuckled.

The Rose and Crown was quiet, but it was only mid afternoon, when the stalls and stores closed then it would be a different matter. She walked to the bar and ordered a Redcliffe Black Malt and sat herself at it.

"How is the day treating you My Lady?" Francine the Barmaid asked her.

"Could be better Francine, tell me is there a young man here, nervous looking, keeps wiping his clothes down, may wipe the dust specks off the table he is at?"

"Oh you mean him over there" Francine motioned with her head "he came in last night, first time I've seen him out of his room."

"What is he drinking?"

"Dalish Wine, his Knife Ear...err I mean his Elven friend encouraged him to try it. Although what a handsome lass like her is doing with a fusspot like him I will never know."

Selina turned in her seat and saw Ariana smile broadly and dig Finn in the ribs. Ordering some drinks for them she got paid for them and getting up made her way over to the table. Ariana looked as beautiful as ever and when she hugged Selina and gave her a kiss on the cheek it did not bother the other patrons, their Arlessa was a woman who did not hold with airs and graces, she was not afraid to show her emotions.

Finn kissed her hand but, well he looked like he hadn't slept in weeks. Dark rings sat round his eyes and a scruffy beard sat on his face, this bothered the Warden Commander greatly, the Finn she knew was so particular about his appearance.

"Finn...Makers Breath my friend, what happened to you?"

The expression on his face did not match what was in his eyes, everything he had believed, had faith in was gone, his eyes once a sparkling pool of a bookworms knowledge were haunted. Whatever he had learnt, haunted him.

"The truth" He muttered "The lies they told you and everyone else. Nothing is as it seems, nothing is as it seems, nothing is real any more."

"He's been like this since he came to my people in the Korchari Lands" Ariana sighed "I said I would go with him, he scurries like a mouse during the day, and at night he is fearful of being followed." Ariana lay her hand over Finns "He is not himself Selina, and I do not know why"

"Come on, lets get him to the Keep, there are enough eyes and ears here that would make a Nobles coffers empty quick"

"I was under the impression you were loved here"

"Common folk maybe but seeing as I hung a noble this morning I am waiting for the fall out from that"

"You hung a noble?" Ariana choked a little with laughter.

"I would hang any man that takes the virtue of a child or woman by force and then murders them, I don't give a hoot if they are noble or common. I will not tolerate it." her gaze swept the room and met the cold unflinching gaze of Lord Tarak, his brother had been the one that Selina had hanged, she raised her voice for his benefit "There will be equal law and order in my lands, and I will not hesitate to do it again. No Noble is above the law, no matter how much Coin he has, anyone want to discuss it with me, they are more than welcome."

Taraks gaze dropped, satisfied she had made her point she finished her drink and gently coaxed the muttering Finn up and with Ariana walked outside with him. Duke walked in front his eyes scanning left and right, he was not sure what was going on, but the fussy human man was not himself and his mistress was concerned enough for him to be on alert.

Selina sat Finn in front of the fire in her office and handed him a tea. Sitting across from him she waited until he had calmed himself down. He seemed to get himself together and made the sign of the Maker, it was his habit to calm himself down. Selina sat back in her chair and observed him for a long while.

When she had met both Ariana and Finn she had been searching for Morrigan. Ariana had been looking for her to retrieve a stolen book, Finn had come along for the sheer fact of finding a working Eluvian. He was an amusing person, and after a few days with him she realised that in his ordered mind, there was a place for everything and everything in its place. He had habits that others might find annoying, like moving something if it did not like it belonged in that place, rubbing dirt off him like it was contagious

At the end of that they had gone their separate ways, but kept in touch, Ariana had asked about coming to the Keep when it was all settled and maybe becoming a Warrior, Selina had said she would be more than welcome, however seeing as the Dalish lived a little longer than most humans it was advised that should she wish to become a Grey Warden to join the scouts first, at least have a semblance of a normal life first.

Finn, well Finn didn't like being outside much, happier in the vast library of the tower with his books, it had to be something that scared the hell out of him for him to come here, somethng that scared him that much he could not confide in Irving.

Selina waited until Finn was settled then asked him about his letter to her. Finn seemed more in control of himself now, and scratched at the seemingly looking hair on his face.

"When I returned to the tower after our adventure in the Dragonbone Wastes I grew curious about you. I mean you are the only Mage that holds land and a title. It is unheard of so I dug into the Amell family history. You have a very prestigious line of ancestors..."

"So it would seem" Selina muttered.

"Magic has always been in the Amell line, but up until your great-great Uncles time had been negligent, it meant the Templars ignored it largely as to them it appeared to be a um glitch in the bloodline."

"Obviously not or you wouldn't have sent me that letter"

Finn sipped some more tea and nodded. It has taken me a long time to get the papers together. Your siblings that died in the Harrowing … well they didn't"

"You said my twin, not any of the others" Selina frowned.

"I found this out after I sent you the letter concerning Serrano" Finn sounded uncomfortable "Your older sister was taken to the Black Tower, your older brothers well no one knows where they are, the footnote said they were on transportation to the White Tower. It was decided to tell your mother that they all died in the Harrowing, but they hadn't. I – I found an old prophecy, I couldn't translate all of it but the meaning was quite clear."

"Which is?"

Ariana gave the Warden Commander credit, she had found out not more than thirty seconds ago that she had been lied too all her life and she was being quite calm about it.

"That when two ancient bloodlines merge, war for the souls of man shall begin. Your Mother never remarried and Serrano's Wife and child were murdered by Blood Mages, but your cousin Leandre married into the Hawke family, a family with a deep history of powerful mages and First Enchanters as well as Wardens in the family..

It started with your older siblings..."

**LAKE CALENHAD MAGES CIRCLE THIRTY – FIVE YEARS AGO**

_Kelan Amell was ready, he had been ready for months, to take his final test against the denizens of the Fade and prove his worth to the Mages and the bloody Templars. His brother Andros and sister Fiana were still learning, it would be years before they were ready. His mother had written to him saying that she wished him well and it would be nice to see him again._

_Kelan didn't much care about that. When the Templars had arrived at his mothers house in Kirkwall_

when he was 6 he knew it was the right choice to make. _Instead of taking him to the Kirkwall Circle they had taken him to the Calenhad Tower in Fereldon, the same with his brother Andros three years after and four years after that his sister Fiana. His mother had given birth to Twins some months ago now, but he knew they would end up here...he just knew._

_He waited until the new First Enchanter Irving had told him what he must do then strode forward, took the lyrium and vanished into the fade._

_The Fade was different for every person. Sometimes they saw the Tower, others saw their homes and he saw the Viscounts Palace. It was a distorted view of it, but he recognised the banners never the less. His Grandfather Aristodole could have been a Viscount of Kirkwall, but the magic that was becoming prevalent in his family had paid to those ambitions. _

_He passed a mirror and took a moment to look at his reflection. He had his fathers grey eyes and his fathers brown hair. He was a slender built young man but his power was that of a mage three decades older than him, and he hadn't even come into his own yet._

_He walked through the path offered him and heard the taunts of the Templars echo in the strrange arena, the cries of Mages that were put under their care. He clenched his fists, he had more than his fair share of torture at the hands of Knight Brother Gannimen and his cohort Knight Sister Hadrana. They said it was to teach him his place in the world._

_He already kmew his place in the world. He knew what was said about his family and that was all that mattered to him. With Leandre marrying that Hawke fellow a year ago it was set in stone. _

"_Greetings young Master Amell"_

_He turned to see a woman, no older than him, pretty in a Fade inhabitant kind of way. "And you are what? Demon or Spirit?"_

"_To the point, I like that, at the moment call me, a companion"_

"_As you wish" Kelan carried on walking listening as the woman warned him about what lived here. _

"_Do you know why they do the Harrowing?" She asked suddenly_

"_To teach us to control and overcome our basic needs and desires that would result in us rebelling against the Maker and his bride" Kelan reeled off the top of his head, Wynne had drummed that into him everyday...Maker that woman was full of self righteous crap. _

"_That's what they told me, but they were wrong, so wrong. Since the days of the Bride there have been tales of a Bloodline that will turn the tide of power and that's what they are afraid off." She smile a little "That's why they watch your family so closely, its how they know that there are mages born into your family."_

"_Its common knowledge if you live in Kirkwall" Kelan scoffed and ducked as a Flame Demon came at him. He span his staff round and loosened off three winters grasps in a row reducing it to nothing more than glowing embers._

_His companion watched as the Rage Demons came next followed by Sloth. This mortal was indeed powerful. He was the one, she was sure of it. His anger at the world he had been thrust into was simering beneath the surface._

"_Listen to me Kelan Amell, choose to believe it or not, one day your line will be responsible for the New God to be born into this world. A choice will be given, a choice made, a friendship sealed and nothing will ever be the same again, when the child comes to power he will usher in a new age. He will need guidance and protection, Allow me to teach you of this creature and in time, you will go to await him as the power and protection he needs as he grows."_

"_What you offer is ridiculous" Kelan scoffed. _

"_Not when it will be your youngest Sibling that will aid in the creation of the new god with an old gods soul."_

_Kelan arched an eyebrow "Even if I were to believe you and accept your offer I will be dead the moment I step from the Fade._ _It will be known"_

_The woman stepped forward "Trust me child, it will not"_

"_What do you need me for?"_

"_To protect your youngest sister when it is her Harrowing, she will be lied too and cajouled and moulded so that which the Chantry fears does not come to pass. I can give you the power to ensure that she is warded against the machinations of the Templars, Mages and Chantry. She will be her own person and one of greatness"_

"_Is this just to happen to her or all of us?"_

"_All of you have a role to play, as the eldest though, you will be able to influence events surrounding her, a shadow figure that is never clearly seen but her guardian" The woman flicked her white hair over her shoulder to reveal an ample bosom._

"_You are not part of the fade...I know who you are!" _

"_Then you know that I may talk in riddles, but I do not lie." She smiled a predators smile. "You have a destiny Kelan Amell, but it is not here and it is not under the yoke of these bullies.. I so hate their petty fears"  
><em>

"_Very well if that is what I am to be so be it, now let me continue this in peace"_

"_As you wish"_

_Kelan woke to see Irving looking over him and nodded "He is fine no taint on him whatsoever, well my boy it is time for you to get some fresh air"_

_Kelan sat up and scratched his head, had it all been a dream whilst he was in the Fade itself? He got up and walked out with Irving and Wynne. He breathed in the fresh air like a man that had not seen daylight for many years. _

_Wynne turned to say something when a great beast swooped down and lifted the Mage from his feet. It seemed to laugh at them as it carried Kelan off to Maker knew where. Irving closed his eyes as a Gregoir came rushing onto the balcony in time to see the beast carry the boy off._

"_So it begins" He whispered. "Say nothing of what happened here"_

"_And what do we tell the other two? No make them Tranquil, it is the only way" Gregoir insisted._

"_I will not" Irving insisted "Tell them he died, write to their mother and tell her he died, strike his name from the records. They must not know what has happened here"_

"_I hope you know what you are doing Irving" Wynne shook her head._

_Irving said nothing and watched the distant shape fly off. He hoped he knew what he was doing too._

"They never found Kelan, when it was Andros's turn he was sent to the White Tower and placed with the Seekers apparently and Fiana was sent to the Black Tower. Serrano was also sent to the White Tower and you stayed at the Calanhad Tower...don't you see, your family is on the precipice of changing the world." Finn shook his head "I can't believe they did not warn you, that they lied to you, I mean what change was the Spirit talking about?"

"It wasn't a spirit" Selina got up and moved to her window "It was Flemmeth and it answers a lot."

The man woke, he stretched and cricked his neck a little...it called to him, beckoned him. He did not know when he had fallen asleep, only that he had and now it was time. Time to bring the false God and their followers to their knees. He listened to the voice in the back of his mind, nodded and gathered his strength...this Anders was going to need a lot of proper advice, and not from those who claimed to know better than he.

17.

After introductions had been made, Kira sat and listened to what Cullen had to say, it was nothing that she already didn't know, but although her impatience gnawed at her, she remained polite and listened attentively. It was her cousin that interested her most. She always had the idea that Mages were celibate, but in fact it was the opposite. There was no law that said they could not marry, just they had to understand that the Chantry and the Templars would watch any offspring with...renewed interest.

She wondered if that was what it was like for father when he eloped with her mother. At the back of his mind,did he wonder if his newborn baby daughter was going to be a mage like him, or was she going to be free of the curse? As it was it was Bethany that got that gene and, as she listened to her Cousin, double whammed for that matter. It would explain why Malcolm Hawke took Bethany away to train her leaving Carver and Kira to look after the home and their mother.

Carver would go play with his friends, but when his father retuned from training Bethany, the next day he would teach Kira and Carver skills they would need to fight for themselves and those they loved, something that as it happened, was needed more than she suspected her father thought ever possible. She had cursed herself every day for a year when Carver had sacrificed himself so that they could escape. She had cursed him for being such a stubborn ass, wanting to get out from the protective shadow of his big sister. Did he have any idea what their father had said to her when she went to fight for the King at the mess that was Ostagar?

Probably not, it did not matter that she was honouring her fathers wishes, all that mattered to Carver was making a name for himself, something his big sister had already done for herself. There was a time and a place for sibling rivalry and jumping in front of a Darkspawn Ogre was not one of them.

As she heard Serrano's tale of how he was separated from his twin sister, and the lies ultimately told, Kira wondered if perhaps all she had known about the Chantry was a lie, did they really fear the Amell/Hawke bloodline so much that they would cover their tracks with lies upon lies, and not white lies, but big cruel ones. If she was Selina right now and had found out that her brother was still alive after all this time, then she would probably go mad with rage.

She told him about Carver and how he had died, about the fate that befell her sister Bethany, which Serrano found most ironic to be truthful. She saw how Fenris was more than a little uncomfortable around the First Enchanter, it was like he wanted to be far away from here but, to his credit, he fixed his gaze on the comedian and let his attention wander. It was Serrano who spoke to him first.

"Tell me Ser Fenris, how did you get those markings?"

"It was a Magister, I was his slave and he magically burnt the lyrium into me" Fenris replied with an edge "I hate Mages, well some of them" He corrected seeing a flash of pain in Merrills eyes at his words.

"You may be a member of the guard and one of the Champions companions but that does not give you the right to be disrespectful to the First Enchanter!" Cullen warned.

"Cul, its fine, if I were in his shoes, I would probably feel the same way and lets face it, if Fenric had succeeded in his plans to kill the former Divine, Divine Beatrix III then the world would be very different. Add to that I have no wish to see Thedas become liked the Imperium of Tevinter; no Cullen, Ser Fenris is quite right to feel the way he does, although it is good that some of his feelings on the matter have eased. Tell me Keeper Alerion, how fares the Alienage?"

He fixed Merrill with such a look of genuine interest that the youngest member of the famous heroes of Kirkwall felt her face fire three or four times in a row.

"Oh, it goes well First Enchanter, we have just celebrated Summers Eve and many of Kirkwall joined in" Merrill blushed.

"Ah, I am sorry I missed it, perhaps I will come to the next one, it has been a long time since I let my hair down. Please let me buy you all a drink"

"I must say Kira" Merrill whispered "He is not what I expected as the First Enchanter"

"No?" 

"No, I thought he would be older, like Orsino...but he's very handsome and cute and..friendly"

"Suave with it" Fenris muttered under his breathe, much to Avelines amusement.

It seemed that Fenris could get jealous,and right now, he was jealous. Aveline shook her head at the comedian and picking up some left over bread threw it at the hapless fellow. Isabella grinned and followed suit, even Gamlan joined in.

"I told him his jokes would be better received in Orzamarr" Varrick sighed and getting up went to help the hapless fellow off the stage before anyone stared throwing anything that might take a while to clean up.

"Well we could go back to the house" Isabella suggested as Cullen and Serrano returned "Have a party, it won't be much fun without Sandal doing his impromptu strip..."

"Oh don't remind me" Varrick shook his head "I get asked about that so many times."

"It was the talk of Hightown for months" Sebastian chimed in "Personally I thought it was hilarious that young Sandal could outrage half of Hightowns saloon, whilst Lady Leandre acted so, cool about it all"

"That was my mother, never let anything phase her"

"She was a bit of a practical joker when she was younger" Gamlan recalled "Don't think she everran through the house naked in front of mothers guests though that...would have been her sent to the Chantry for certain"

"So would the Knight-Commander and First Enchanter care to join us?"

Cullen ummed and aghhed but Serrano made his mind up for him "Why not, I haven't been in the family estate since I was a boy. Be good to see the old house again"

"Off home it is then" Kira sat back and picked up her glass "and Varrick can tell ghost stories"

Varrick grinned "You know me and Bianca Hawke,we love to tell a good yarn"

Kira smirked and said nothing more.

"Call yourself Justice, only I have shown Anders the true way, I am a spirit of Vengeance and I shall do what you,. Justice could not" The shimmering figure kept his boot pinned to the throat of the beaten spirit that had been Justice

"He is commuting murder, that..is..not...JUSTICE" Justice moved causing the other spirit to stumble backwards "Tell me Vengeance is this your own or his?"

Vengeance stepped into the light, no more than 25 years of age right now he looked handsome enough but in truth he was not, the left side of his face was caved in from a Templars boot, his body constantly bled from wounds inflicted by sword and spear.

"Mages, Justice are the shit pile of a Templars boot. Even my brother and sister Seekers could not get to me in time and as I died I was granted a place as a spirit of the Fade, I drove you out of Anders and I am there and here at the same time, there will be a reckoning and this is it"

He hit Justice with a spirit bolt followed up by a tempest, in his weakened state Justice could not fight back and fell to the ground unmoving.

"When you come too Justice, remember this lesson well."

"Since when did mages become spirits anyway?" Justice weakly spoke.

"Since they are me...others call me Vengeance, even Anders...you can call me by my real name, you can call me Andros Amell"

18.

Tevinter,

A land with a history that stretches back to the dawn of time, a land that bears the honour of the oldest country in Thedas, and the only country ruled by Mages, or Magisters as the more powerful ones were known. Behind the fine building of the Imperium as it was known, the beauty of its cities and lands, there lay a heart of decadence Ambition and power, all lay at the heart of its ruling elite, and there was nothing more powerful then a Magister with designs far beyond that which would normally be attained.

Slaves were the currency in Tevinter, mainly Human and Elven people but not the dwarfs, that might have had something to do with the fact that whilst they could get lyrium anywhere,the Dwarfs had the greatest supply of it, the risk associated with enslaving Dwarves was not worth the potential size of a household.

Once upon a time, the Tevinter Imperium stretched across the continent, there was not a country that does not have Tevinter ruins of one sort or another. Yet whilst its power did not hold as much sway as it used to in terms of size, it was a fool who thought that the Imperium was dead and gone, it was not, and its power although dwindled, was still a mighty thing.

The Magisters kept control over their people by invading their dreams, making sure that there was no treason, or controlling how they saw the world. It was this way that had ensured the citizens under their control remained loyal, add to that the use of Blood Magic was generally enough to cull any rebellions. Blood Magic was banned in the Imperium now, but before it was not, still those that practice it were acknowledged to be the best of their generation, especially if they wielded all the aspects of Blood Magic. The ban was rarely acted upon and only paid lip service, in fact the only time it became an issue was when families who had an affront caused to them by the use of Blood Magic demanded retribution.

Minrathous was the capital and the most splendid of cities, even those who had escaped the yoke of slavery found that they missed the capital city more than anything else. To return would be death or worse, and to some that was a price they were not willing to pay, even if it meant looking over their shoulders all their lives. The Imperial Archons palace was here as was the main circle of magi and the Chantry.

It was the Tevinter Imperium that, after destroying the Elven city of Arlathan discovered the power to enter the Fade with the use of lyrium. The war between the Elves and the Humans still echoed down the ages today, and whilst some had long ago chosen to forgive what had occurred before their times, others remembered how the stories ended with the sinking of their mighty city and with it a slow end to their own longevity. Now Elves still had a longer life span than humans, but it was not as it once was, and to all observers and scribes eventually, an Elf might only life as long as a human.

As it was the Dalish were the ones who kept the lore, forgotten and lost, many believed that salvation lay in the hopes of an as yet unborn Dalish Elf who would rediscover their lost city and restore the Elves to their former glory. Many Magisters stamped on that thought ruthlessly, the very notion that some unknown hero would rise up and restore the glory of the Elves,was not something that the Magisters wanted to consider.

A lot of the Tevinters early history was required reading, but many events shape the Imperium and the Imperium was blamed for the creation of the Darkspawn. It was here that a group of Magisters,wanting to find the Makers City sacrificed hundreds of slaves, took two thirds of the lyrium stocks and entered the Fade to find the Golden City. No one is really sure what happened but when they returned it was under the Arch Demon Dumat and the Darkspawn were born, it was two hundred years before the First Blight was defeated by the newely ordained order called the Grey Wardens. But it was the beginning of the end for the Imperium.

Andraste led a rebellion that ended in her execution but, the freeing of the Elves under the Magisters harsh rules, the martyrdom of Andraste had an everlasting effect, when Archon Hessarian converted to the faith of Andraste and revealed to the world how Andrastes mortal husband Maferaths betrayed her.

The Black Tower as it was referred to by the office of the White Divine in Orlais had caused many hardships for its peoples. When the Qunari ravaged the lands in wars and skirmishes only the Imperium refused to sign any peace treaty, the result of which meant that in effect, Tevinter and the Qun were still at war.

A lone figure stood on a balcony overlooking the garden of her vast estate. She was a striking figure with her long grey hair, eyes that bore into a man or woman and knew the depths of their souls before even knowing them, her porcelain skin showed slight scars, from fights she had undertaken in the Black Tower as a youth, to prove her worth. Of course for some reason she was tutored under the Imperial Archon himself.

She was not born in Tevinter, she had been born in Kirkwall but that did not matter, she made her way to power and by the time she was twenty-nine, there were very few who tried to usurp her from her place. As Magisters went, she was the more popular one, it was known that the Grey Lady as she was called in some quarters, had a compassion for those who worked for her. She did not suffer fools easily, so when it came to light some thirteen years ago that the fool Magister Danarius had lost his lyrium branded slave she had made sure that it was known he was a fool. Slaves well that was the currency of Tevinter, but lyrium, all to give a slave the power to use the fade for his masters advancement? Preposterous, the way that idiot treated his slaves was it any wonder that this Fenris or whatever his name was, escaped.

When the Magister died, she took his house, his holdings and made it plain that any who dared challenge her would meet with her...displeasure, sometimes just the warning of what one of the most powerful Magisters since the Ancients could do was enough to stop any assassination attempt. She leant on the balcony watching the stars, reading their alignment, looking for what? She was not sure but she knew something called her.

So much of her childhood had been lost in the regime of the Tower, if she was asked to picture her parents, the only face she could conjure was the Archons Wife and the Archon himself. She had been married once, had children a daughter and two sons, her daughter had died at the hands of a now dead family line. When news had come to her of her daughters abduction, rape and gruesome murder she had gone to the Magister Unwins house, killed every one in there and everything and took the Magister back to her home.

What she did in there too the man that murdered her daughter none spoke off, but she kept him alive for over a week. It had sealed her position as one who did her own dirty work and that was not something enemies wanted. Especially when the Magisters body was found, everything was hushed up and the remains cremated. To this day no one but the Grey Lady and Imperial Archon knew what had happened to Unwin that night.

Her eldest son had died in a battle with the Qunari in Seheron and her youngest, he had defected to the Qun, wanting to leave the legacy of his mother behind him. She held him no ill will for she had been raised to let her children do as they must, but it still stung that her only living child was now a Vidithari who would not return any letter she wrote him.

She stood straighter and returned to her locked chamber. She motioned with her head and the two personal guard members left, leaving her with her "Guest"

"Now, where were we? Oh yes you were going to tell me about the Warden Commander and I want to know everything about her"

"What's to know? She's the Hero of Fereldon and a traitor to us mages" The woman snarled.

The Magister shook her head and with a wave of her hand flung the woman against the wall. Causing her to cry out.

"You come into my home, kill three of my staff all on the orders of some warden named Anders, and think you can get away with it...now tell me what I want to know or your death will be prolonged"

"I don't even known who you are" The woman winced.

"I am the Grey Lady, the premier Magister in all of the Imperium...but you, you can call me Fiana Amell, for you will not live long to discuss it." Fiana leant forward "the manner of your death is entirely up to you"

19.

Night was the best time for Morrigan, she revelled in the stars and the shield it gave weary travellers. She glanced across to where Lelianna lay, the gentle rise and fall of her chest told Morrigan that she was asleep. Reaching into her pack Morrigan pulled out an old deck of tarot cards. The last time she had used these was the night before they had battled the Archdeamon, and, although she was a little out of practise now, they had served her right that night. She moved to where the moons glow was brighter, sat herself cross-legged and began her pre-reading ritual. It made her laugh to see the carnival tricksters who claimed they could see into the future, all it took was a skill at reading body language and they could convince any fool to part with their money.

Morrigan never did readings for anyone, she read to see if there were portents, or what may happen, but then there was nothing ever final about fate or destiny. She had no idea when she had read the cards before leaving with the two surviving Grey Wardens, that one would be the father of her child, and the other would be the closest creature she had to a sister. She sat back and looked at the moon wondering where they all were now.

Selina and Alistair she knew about, he was the King of Fereldon, Selina the Warden Commander of Fereldon. Lelianna was an assassin for the Divine, even if she preferred the title Bard. Morrigan always knew there was a darkness in the Orlisian Ley-Sister and it was some sort of victory that she had known the very people that had saved the Bard were now utilising her skills, and there was no finer Archer then Lelianna that Morrigan had met. Not that she would actually admit it to the woman, perish the thought.

Sten, now he had been a proud creature and, one she could relate to on any level. She wondered what had happened to him, did he return to Par Volan or Seheron? To call a Bas a Kadan must have been a shock for the Warden, especially when Lelianna told them it mean, one who is close to their heart.

She had heard that Sandal and Bodhan had been in Kirkwall when it all went to hell. She was not sure where they were or what they were doing but whatever it was it would mean great adventure she was sure. Wynne had died in Orlais, but Morrigan was almost certain the old lecturer was far from dead as Humans termed it. One could exist in the fade as a spirit if their body was dead. She had despised Wynne, she hated her moral standing and her constant lectures, Selina had listened politely probably because Wynne had been one of her teachers at the Circle.

Morrigan recalled a conversation that she and Wynne had after Wynne had more or less told the Warden to not pursue a relationship with Lelianna...

"_And tell me oh wise one" Morrigans tone was dripping with sarcasm as they watched the Warden stand apart from the others. "What wonderful pearls of wisdom have you departed to the Warden?"_

"_None of your business,"_

"_Oh but it is" Morrigan glanced at the old woman "For I know what lies within you Wynne, I know what secret you carry,"_

_There was no sarcasm now, but Wynne heard the sound of malice in the tone. "I merely pointed out to the Warden that it would be unwise to pursue a relationship with Lelianna, when her duty and her status means they would not live a long and fruitful life together"_

"_Tell me, who died and made you Selina's mother?" Morrigans tone became even icier and her golden eyes flashed angrily._

"_Duty must come first and love is ultimately selfish" Wynne defended._

"_Oh it is yes, I agree but you do not have the right to preach to anyone when you yourself hide all manners of truth. And if the Bard is the one that Selina wants who are you or anyone else for that matter to tell her she can't!" Morrigan rose from her seat "Quit your lectures old woman, even my mother knew when to be subtle and when to be direct. If I were Selina I would have told you to stay out of my business, however I am not so I am telling you to stay out of my friends business, let them make whatever mistakes they wish, it might actually make Selina forget for a little while the ridiculous weight that is on hers and Alistair's shoulders"_

No she did not mourn for Wynne, Wynne was still alive in the fade and maybe as something else, who knew and Morrigan was sure she did not want to know. Not that she was afraid of anything that Wynne might have become, she was just disinterested in anything to do with the woman.

Oghren, ugh that foul smelling ale swigging course mouthed dwarf had actually turned out to be one of Selina's most stalwart wardens. Selina had told her that Oghren was with her again at the Keep when she had come to see her before she vanished. Morrigan had been, pleasantly surprised at that news. As annoying as that womanising creature had been, there had been times when Morrigan and Selina had seen him stand apart, head bowed and looking like he was somewhere else. It soon passed and he would torment Lelianna about her Nug and how many delicious meals could be made from it, but there was another side to him and he had spoken to Morrigan about it the last night in Camp.

"_What is it dwarf?" Morrigan curtly asked as she saw Oghren standing just outside of her tent entrance. _

"_I err came to talk Morrigan but if it's too much sodding trouble..."_

"_Talk? Not seduce? I am disappointed..."_

"_Sod this! I came to talk about Alistair and Selina..."_

_Morrigan looked up from her mothers tomb and cocked her head a little, setting it to one side she stuck her head out of her tent and read his expression perfectly, concern and was that fear? She motioned her head and he came into her tent. _

"_What troubles you? I assure you Alistair s jokes are not that funny you just learn to laugh in the right places to shut him up."_

"_Na day that whelp bothers me with his nugheaded attempts at humour I'll become a noble"_

"_But you are aren't you?" Morrigan asked with a slight smile on her mouth._

_Oghren grunted a little and turned serious again, "Is there anyway we can find a way to err, halt the Taint, give them both a chance at a longer life?"  
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_Morrigan was taken aback a little this, was the last thing she had expected to come out of Oghrens mouth, she was expecting him to ask for a potion for potent ale or something, not this and it was then she realised that it wasn't so much for Alistair that he was asking, but Selina. _

"_You know the price the Wardens pay then?" She asked, no pretence at ignorance, he deserved a little respect._

"_All Dwarves know, its why we welcome them into the Dark Roads when it is their time, its why we respect it. Shit Morrigan I seen a young human lad in his thirties down there. It ain't right you know. They will always bare that taint and they will always hear the calling, but to cap their lives at say thirty years, that's so not right."_

"_Perhaps it is so they have that chance at a glorious swan song Oghren, we both know as do they that the taint will turn them into Darkspawn eventually" Morrigan sounded sad and Oghren picked it up straight away, although he knew better then to say anything "I do not wish that on anyone let alone my friend and the fool would be king" she rubbed her brow "I will see if there is a way to halt it, or at least slow it down, but I make no promises Oghren"_

_Oghren nodded and left. He ignored the looks he got from Alistair and went back to his tent, picking up his ale as he went. Morrigan stared into the distance for a moment or two then shaking her head picked her tomb up again and began to read. _

Yes Oghren had been a strange one, gruff with everyone else, but held much respect for Selina, it showed when he had joined the Wardens at Amaranthine, he said it was what he felt was ordained for him, but Morrigan had suspected that he wanted to watch over the Warden Commander and he certainly did that.

Zevran well She had no idea about the promiscuous elf, and she did not trust him, she never did. Oh she was well aware that no one trusted her, in fact Zevran had said that whilst he played games he would not dare play them against one such as the daughter of Flemmeth. He would be correct for when it came to game playing there was none better.

She came out of her musings and heaved a sigh and centred herself once more, she picked the deck up and closing her eyes she began to shuffle the cards, still keeping her eyes closed she picked the cards and lay them out, in ways that she had always done, when teaching her son how to read the cards and see a possible outcome. Nothing, as her mother would say, is ever certain.

When she had finished she opened her eyes and stared at the cards she had dealt. The two faced Knave...inverted. That was not good, it meant betrayal, although in this case it was the betrayal of a family member.

The next was the shadow rider, a figure unseen but controlling the destiny of others that could have been her mother but her mother played more subtle games then that, and to be fair there was never any malice in it, she just allowed people to interpret her words as she saw fit, no, this card meant that a force unseen was controlling someone or something.

The next was the mage on a throne, great power, great presence and a ruler of something she was leaning forward that meant that whoever this was listened then acted, and they would have a great influence in events.

The next was the guardian, a force that chose to destroy or protect, depending on events surrounding them. Morrigan didn't like any of them, they all had the meaning of dire events, and although when it came to the Warden Commander it was never too far away from that. She read the last set of cards.

A castle with the sun and moon joined. She sat back and ignored the others. Past and future combined, Morrigan swept them up there was lies upon lies coming from the card, secrets long hidden revealed and they could build or destroy. War on the horizon and change.

She knew that one all too well, change was coming, she had told Selina that the last time they spoke and some people are scared of change, but if the events in Kirkwall three years ago were anything to go by then that what her mother had predicted had already begun.

She put her cards away, whatever was going to happen would have repercussions for all concerned. Even her and her son, Morrigan knew that this one she could not influence, there was no influencing fate not this time. She watched the moon for a long while and thought she saw her mothers face.

Morrigan got up and looked into the horizon, the moon just caught the faint glint of stone. They would be at the keep by nightfall tomorrow. She had better get some sleep. Settling down she closed her eyes. But sleep would not come, not for a long time.

Selina lay in her bed looking up at the vaulted ceiling, her mind was a whirr so many questions, the top one being Irving and Wynne had lied to her why? Why tell her such a cruel lie, for so long she had thought she was the last one of her family alive. Now she not only discovers her twin brother was still alive and the First Enchanter of Kirkwall but, her older siblings had not died during their harrowing as she had been led to believe.

She could not remember if she had ever seen them before she went too the circle, she could barely remember her mother let alone anything else. Her father was a blur to her as well, it was as if her blood kin was wiped away from her memory and all she could remember were the few friends she had made at the circle, and Cullen...now why on earth did his name pop into her head? She shook it off and turned on her side to look out the window, the moon was at its fullest and beautiful. She loved the moon it was the power behind the throne and held so much mystery of its own.

She tried to settle her mind but it just wouldn't settle, heaving a heavy sigh, she gave up the ghost and getting up washed and got dressed. She walked out into the hallway and watched as Ariana came out of Finns room. The Dalish handed a tray of barely eaten food to one of the kitchen servants and seeing her friend came over to stand next to her.

"You can't sleep?"

"No" Selina leant on the railing "How's he doing?" Finn had lapsed into his strange mantra before supper and refused to eat anything.

"Something is plaguing him, not just the untruths he has discovered but something else. Its like it won't let him rest."

"Then I think it is time I took a trip into the Fade and see if I can't see who or what is bothering him."

"You can do that?" Ariana asked

"Yeah, been able to do it since my powers surfaced and I did it without blood magic or lyrium, I just needed a bridge. I can take one person with me, you up for it?"

Ariana did not need telling twice. As annoying as Finn could be at times with his strange behaviours, he was her friend, she didn't have a lot of friends outside the Dalish, Selina and Finn were the first human friends she had made.

"What do you need?"

"Give me five minuets to clear my mind, light some candles in his room, I will talk to the evening guard commander to ensure that we are not disturbed."

Ariana nodded and went to do as Selina asked. The Warden Commander went in search of the night watch Commander and found him, telling him that under no circumstances was she to be disturbed. When he jokingly asked if a blight would do it, she replied only if an Archdeamon was leading the horde. Satisfied that her wished would be carried out, she made her way to Finns room, she had a suspicion that there was something else in there with him that by the sounds of it, he was unaware off. Question was, was it malevolent or benevolent? Time to find out.

20

Everyone's fade realm was different and Finns was no different. Selina allowed herself to get used to the disorientation, she had not entered the fade like this since...well since the battle at the tower against Uldred and his crazed followers, she glanced across to see Ariana stand to her feet and get her bearings.

No lyrium had been used, no blood magic, it was just Selinas sheer will and whatever power she held. The Dalish looked at her in awe, the last time this had happened she had only read about, the ancients of her race in the buried city.

Finn dreamt of the circle, after all it had been his home for many years. Like everything else in the fade, things were a mirrored reflection of the dreamers real world, but the main difference was how ordered it all was. They both knew that Finn had an ordered mind and how he liked things to be just so, but this, well this was something else. Even though bookcases floated above ground, they were alphabetised. As they made their way through the mages dream realm paintings were straight and ranked in aged order.

"He really has a thing about everything being exact" Ariana sighed, "Do humans have this all the time?"

"Its called Obsessive Compulsion Disorder," Ariana looked puzzled at Selinas words "OK, say Finn has a bookcase..like that one there, and he has all books serialised or in alphabetical order, now say you move um book three of a series to a where he has book ten. He will panic, he will know that its been moved and he will take all the books off and rearrange them back to what they were."

"That's strange" Ariana frowned.

"Its also the same with his clothes, they have to be immaculate and pressed, knowledge must be catalogued precisely etc etc" Selina looked around her.

Ariana shook her head as they passed characters in Finns dreams, some were those she had seen at the circle, others were Templars, there was Irving lecturing on the folly's of blood magic and why it could never be an option for any responsible mage. She glanced at her hand where years ago Finn had used her blood to find the ancient lanterns.

Selina watched the image of Irving and Ariana saw a mix of hurt and disgust cross her friends face, then she jammed her hands in her pockets walked on. They came through the classrooms into the gardens, again like everywhere else, it was all ordered and they saw a woman with long sun blonde hair and blue eyes, Humming to herself, it was then Ariana realised they were no longer in the tower, but in a nobles home.

"Is this Finns home?" She asked.

"I'm guessing it was, and I suspect that is his mother as he remembers her"

"I thought Finn was close to his parents"

"Yes but even so visits are still restricted or were, until Arl Eammons daughter came to the Circle, it had changed more so then, he visits every weekend. Some parents are like that, some are not."

"Did..did your mother and father ever come to visit you?" Ariana asked.

"My father died when I was still a baby, my mother...I don't remember my mother, I just have an image of a dark haired woman and a grey haired man. Some of us are left in the care of the circle if our families do not wish the stigma attached to having a mage child. Considering what Finn told me earlier I think my mother just stopped wanting to know if I was alive or dead."

"Do you hate her?" Ariana asked cautiously.

"I don't remember her so I can't say one way or the other" Selina admitted "but to think that the Circle lied to her about her children's fates? Well I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy"

They carried on walking so far, so good there were depictions of people that Selina knew from her time in the circle and there were faces that she did not. The gossiping harpies, that in Finns dream seemed to actually look like Harpies. She allowed the smile to spread, those two women had a lot to say about everyone within the circle, but none of it was true.

They passed into another room and this time found themselves before the Eluvian, and it was here that they found Finn. Sitting reading and panicking, muttering that same mantra he had started when he left the circle to find his friend, and every so often he would look over his shoulder at the glowing shimmering mirror.

"This can't be good" Ariana muttered "He's been obsessed with the Eluvian since we discovered it"

Finn wasn't alone, beside him stood a figure that was both here and not here. Selina narrowed her eyes and drew her sword, the arcane energies glowed off it and not just because of the Star-metal it had been forged with.

The presence beside Finn looked up and a sense of relief crossed its face, if you could see its face properly. "I have been waiting for you Warden"

"By taking over our friend Demon" Ariana growled and Selina noticed a slight more effort in that phrase, it would seem that her Dalish friend liked Finn more than she let on. Despite his irritating behaviour at times.

"I am no demon, I have been protecting the boy from those who would do him harm, I have guided him here to this memory"

"No, you are doing him harm Justice" Selina growled "he is not another mage you can turn into a murderer all in the name of rights of the innocents!" She moved towards him, her expression fiery and passionate "The circle exists for a reason, the Templars exist for a reason and yes I am aware that there are those who treat Mages like the plague but they fear us and what we can do and after what you and Anders did in Kirkwall, they have good bloody reason to!"

"I am no murderer Selina, I am a spirit of Justice, not a demon of murder. I vacated Anders body long ago when it became clear that he would not listen to the valued reasoning of others, he sought out Templars to kill and I left him, but I had been a part of him for so long, some of my abilities merged with his" Justice stepped back "his anger at his perceived mistreatment allowed another to enter him and it is that spirit that controls him now. I sought out one who knew you, to warn you before I die"

Selina shook her head "Do you have any idea what you have done to Finn? His mind is ordered, he is a being of order, it helps him cope with the reality that outside the tower he is hated and despised by dint of his birth-rite. By plunging his ordered world into chaos and with the truth that he has also learnt for himself you driven him to the brink of insanity!"

"I- I meant the boy no harm, when I found him, he was already suffering at the discoveries he made" Justice bowed his head "I am not long for this time, already I am facing oblivion, but I had to hold on, to warn you about what you face."

"You said another possessed Anders. Who?"

"The spirit of Vengeance, a rare spirit who is not truly a spirit or a deamon but somewhere in between. A mortal who was wronged in such a way that in death his soul would not rest" Justice swallowed a little and for the first time Selina saw the wounds on the beings body.

They were leaking some arcane energy and it was painfully obvious that whatever life force governed a spirit was draining away, whoever Justice had been before, well maybe he would finally find peace beside the Maker, as a first child of the Maker should.

"I found about Anders past when I told him to leave the Keep. He says that a child is ripped away from its loving parents by the Templars, his parents GAVE him to the Templars, they were scared of what a mage child would do to their standing in society. He did not want to believe that his parents gave him away like he was nothing so he built up this little fantasy and it became his reality, one that has led him to become a murderer not just of Templars or Priests and innocents, but children too, if they don't join him they die, there is no redemption for Anders and I will see him dead or will die myself trying."

"An, admirable goal but one that you may not be able to complete., Anders is not entirely human any more, the creature within him has merged flawlessly so that the two become one and the same." Justice closed his eyes "but Selina could you truly kill your own brother?"

"What? Anders is not my brother!" Selina snarled.

"Oh but he is, the spirit that he has merged with is your brother Andros, his death at the hands of Templars has denied him peace and cried for revenge, his power allowed him to do that and Anders is your half brother, his father was your father, an unknown truth but one that is there never the less"

Selina was dumbstruck, she did not know what to say, Ariana saw the confusion dance across her friends face, in the last three days, the world she had known was turned upside down and inside out. The Warden Commander weighed up the possibilities in her mind, the repercussions that this would cause not just for whatever of her family remained, but the Grey Wardens of Fereldon in general.

"Justice, do you fear oblivion?" Ariana asked, her people knew of the spirit folk that inhabited the Fade, she did not want to believe that such a benevolent creature could be part of all this.

"It would be an end" He admitted "but I would rather see Anders hang for the innocent deaths he has caused all in the name of his...holy war"

"There is nothing holy about it" Selina corrected "he is obsessed with his goal and it has made him dangerous, like those he professes to hate"

"This is true. I meant no harm to the boy Selina, you know that I would not harm anyone who did not deserve it, I am sorry for the discomfort I have given him, it was the only way I could think of reaching you."

"So what happened to you after the fall of the keep?" Selina lowered her sword.

"I joined with Anders, the body I inhabited had served his end and deserved his peace, he was returned to his wife?" Selina nodded "Good, at least justice was served for him."

"But why?" the Warden scowled "why join with Anders?"

"I thought he was cleared of his obsession in the darker nature he harboured, serving beside you and the other Wardens gave him a fellowship that he sorely lacked, I hoped to channel his anger into something more constructive, but the anger you showed him when you discovered he had joined with me made him, worse"

"I was not amused no" Selina agreed "It gave him too much power and eventually he used that power to murder innocents"

"Even his friend Hawke could not dissuade him from his chosen path."

"No" Selina sheathed her sword "It is time for you to realease the boy Justice, and time for you to pass into whatever life you go next, I promise you I will make Anders pay"

"I believe you Warden, but what if it takes longer than you think?"

"It will take as long as it takes, Anders is still a Grey Warden in the fact that the taint will eventually take him, one way or the other he will get what he deserves."

"No Warden, your brother Andros is holding off the taint, as long as he is part of Anders then the taint will never fully take hold."

"Are you telling me, that he will outlive the taint?"

"Not outlive it, but avoid it. It still allows him to sense another Warden or Darkspawn but he will not succumb to it if he is still alive in thirty years"

Selina went and sat next to Finn, she peered over his shoulder, he was drawing the last scene with Selina and Morrigan at the Eluvian over ten years ago now.

"Only way to beat him, is to become him" he said over and over again along with "The Circle and Chantry lied, no reason to lie, but they lied, is all they say a lie, has the Maker not left us but is with us in all that he does, what other lies have they told...the only way to beat him is to become him"

"What is he talking about?" Ariana frowned, "How do you become this Mage prophet?"

Selina looked at Justice her face like stone "Is he speaking true? Or are you giving voice to his scattered thoughts?"

"I would never do that" Justice retorted angrily "I have never done that, I do not influence mortals, it is wrong of me to do that"

Selina rubbed her jaw and met Ariana's gaze, "What do you think?"

Ariana finally twigged and sat beside her friend "Don't Wardens do what need to be done to fight their enemy?"

"It makes me no better than Anders if I do this"

"I disagree, didn't you tell my your friend Wynne had a spirit of the fade within her? Way I see it Anders was already broken by the time he allowed Justice to merge, you are a stronger character than Anders, you don't blame everyone else for the mistakes of the world or the mistakes you make., if Justice agrees to let you deal with whatever comes our way and not interfere until the time you face Anders. I can see it working."

"We?"

"Well you don't expect me to return to my people after all this do you?" Ariana shook her head "He can't go back to the tower, they'll make his life difficult but maybe you could conscript him?" 

"I don't think he would survive the joining but stranger things have happened, are you still wanting to become a Warden, knowing what it means for you?"

"I am a warrior and I think I could bring my people great honour and myself."

Selina got up and looked at Justice "You do not interfere in anything I do, my idea of Justice is bound by the laws of the Chantry and the Maker, do you understand this Justice? I will expell you from my body the moment you start dictating to me, like you tried to do in the keep when you arrived"

"You have my word, my ire will be saved for the spirit of Vengeance"

"Lets do it then, before Finn looses himself completely."

21

He sat watching the flames of the village that burned, a sense of completion filled him, this was a village known to give its orphans to the Templars, a place where an innocent child would be indoctrinated into the laws of the Templars, their innocence stripped from them in the Chantry and then taught to hate anything that does not conform to the Makers rules. He did not regret the deaths, he had no regrets, ever since that night in Kirkwall.

He didn't expect anyone to understand his actions, but in truth he had hoped Hawke and Merrill would have understood his reasoning, one having an Apostate sister the other being a mage of the Dailish, none of them understood, they didn't want to, all they saw was the explosion and the war and blamed him for it, they did not see the greater picture. He had a hope and that was to bring a Tevinter like regime to Thedas. Where the mages ruled, yes that would be good, a new era and a new dawn, for now though he would continue on his way, doing what he did best.

He got to his feet and pulled his coat on, the screams dying with the evening wind. The Templars and the circle would regret the day they ever underestimated the power of a Mage called Anders.

The chatter in the keep was almost as loud as the horses being led to the stables. Lelianna couldn't believe how much the keep had expanded over the years, there were barracks and stables, not to mention a fully working blacksmiths. Dungeon and under croft that led to the Deep Roads. Which was a good place for a Keep of Wardens, which was acknowledged as being the place where Wardens hearing their calling disappear too. Only one had gone to their long walk and he was sent off with much sombre pomp and ceremony.

Morrigan was impressed there was no doubt about it. They had improved upon the old Howe keep, and extended it, she saw the grain silos before she saw anything else. Small farm holdings that had sprung up in the shadow of the keep, not just for the good trade aspect but the protection the Keep afforded.

Morrigan was tired and when she got tired she got grumpy. Thankfully she did not have far to look for her friend. She was in the Courtyard talking to a Dailish Elf and a human Mage, the human looked like he had been dragged through a hedge backwards and the Elf was propping him up a little. She glanced at her friend and arched an eyebrow. There was something different about Selina, she looked no different but...yes there was another presence within her, one that was buried deep within but it was there never the less. Her friends personality was dominant, that was good, as she closed her eyes and reached out with her own strange senses she was satisfied that Selina was still in control of herself, and that the being within her was a spirit not a demon, but the spirit was wounded. It hid deep within the recesses of the Commanders soul, unable to do anything but rest. Whatever it was that shared the Wardens body would be in no state to argue or fight for some considerable time.

Selina frowned a little and standing straighter she looked around her, someone was probing her thoughts, and the frown became a smile as she saw Morrigan standing there, arms folded, hair longer than when she had last seen her but never the less a welcome sight.

"Settle yourselves in" She told Finn and Ariana "I'll come see you both later and welcome to the Keep"

"I must get to the Library, see if there is anything connecting all of this" Finn chattered "There has to be a reason and I'll see if I can find anything on the Prophecy and..."

"The Library is in that building there" Selina stopped him "it is all books even forbidden lore, just tell the Silver Order guard that I said you can access it"

"Really? I mean Really"

Ariana rolled her eyes and dragged Finn towards the library. He had come round and seemingly none the worse for his experience, in fact three hours after waking up he seemed to remember nothing about his feverish speech but, he did remember why he had come here. He was not interested in the prospect of joining the Wardens, but he did like the idea of becoming a more civilised version of Avernus. He had ethics and his research work would be more methodical and honourable in his workings.

Selina smirked as she heard Finn asked Ariana if the beard suited him, and then ask her if it really suited him, then asked her if perhaps it would be better if he trimmed it up, until a clip round the pack of his head from the Dalish Elf caused him to go Ow and shut up. Duke walked happily alongside Ariana until he saw Morrigan and made a beeline for the woman. She laughed happily and crouched down opening her arms and letting him greet her.

"So,what's brought you out of hiding?"

"I need to be here. It is good to see you my friend."

"And you Morrigan" Selina hugged her briefly, knowing that Morrigan hated any form of touching unless she invited it.

"I have a travelling companion, not my wish I must admit but I suppose if I don't settle in she will skin me alive, and I could use a bath. We will talk later my friend."

Selina chuckled and waved Corporal Sharn over and told him to show Morrigan to the guest suite with a bath. She turned as Duke happily barked and lunged at the other woman. Morrigan watched her friends face change. It was love, well as Morrigan would envision it. She was happy for her best friend but it would not do good to show her as such.

Lelianna waked towards her lover and saying nothing put her arms round the Wardens neck and pulled her in for a deep and loving kiss.

"Anyone else want to vomit? Anyone else feel the need to put their fingers down their throat and bring up their meal? No? Just me then" Morrigan shook her head and walked away whistling a little so that Duke would follow her. "You can sit outside my bathroom" She told him "and give them some privacy" She added as a whisper.

Selina breathed a little as Lelianna broke the kiss, every fibre in her body tingled as it always did when she was around, her heart always hammered a little more as it always did. She rested her head against the Bards and closed her eyes.

"How long do I have you for this time my little songbird?" She asked, not really wanting to hear the answer.

Whenever they arranged for some time together it was always interrupted by a call from the White Tower or a Chantry here or there.

"I am here for as long as you want me here Selina" Lelianna breathed, a little tear falling from the corner of her eye. She stepped back and took a long look at the woman she had loved from the moment they had met. Her eyes looked haunted, as if she was carrying a burden that was too great to share. "Do you want to talk about what has happened?"

"Oh trust me I will, but not right now" Selinas voice held an edge to it that was never used towards Lelianna "Sorry Leli" She whispered and drew her close as she saw the expression on the Bards face "I promise I'll tell you all later, but right now..." She leaned forward again "right now nothing matters."

Lelianna felt herself lifted off the ground a little and welcomed the embrace. Although her lovers words stuck in her mind, right now she was right, nothing else mattered.

Morrigan, for once was speechless, Lelianna's thoughts were in turmoil, as they both listened to what the Warden had told them about revelations and machinations of the Chantry and the Circle to hide Selina's family history from her. Even Morrigan had not seen this coming and it answered a whole lot of questions she had held since the day her mother and saved the two grey Wardens at Ostagar, and not just for the ritual.

"I must speak with the Divine about this..." Lelianna began.

"No!" Selina snapped causing the Bard to stare open mouthed which Morrigan found most amusing and did nothing to hide the amusement "I think the Chantry, Circle and bloody Divine have interfered in my families lives often enough don't you?"

"But Selina that would have been a different Divine..." 

"Different? Different, it doesn't matter Lelianna, they all carry the secrets of their predecessors, lets go over it shall we? I am separated from my twin brother told that he is dead when in reality he was in Orlais..and oh he's the new First Enchanter of Kirkwall now. My older brother was taken by Flemmeth for whatever reason, my brother was a seeker who is now a spirit of Vengeance and living inside a mage warden gone mad and my older sister is a Magister of Tevinter and I thought they were dead! What is not to understand about that!"

Selinas frustrations were overspilling and although it warmed Morrigans evil side to see Lelianna look so crest fallen, she sighed and got up, walking towards her friend she stood beside and looked out the window with her.

"I understand your anger, and had I known why my mother wanted your brother I would have told you. Do you remember when I told you that great change was coming?" Selina nodded "It was not just the birth of my son, but other things too, that my friend is what the Chantry and the Circle fear. However, this is not Lelianna's fault, sometimes those that follow their beliefs cannot always see the truth of what is really there. I will take a wander over to the Library and speak to this boy Finn, see if there is anything I can glean that you might have missed" She lowered her voice to a whisper "We shall talk later of the creature that resides within your soul when it is more...appropriate."

Morrigan took her leave, there was a time for being brutally honest and a time for being subtle, whilst she would have gloated at the bards discomfort, she was not going to use Selina's own personal turmoil to do so. Selina rubbed her brow and turned to see a stunned and crest fallen Lelianna behind her. She closed her eyes a little, this was not how their reunion should be. They had not seen each other for months, and every time it had been interrupted and now they had all the time in the world together, it was marred once again by talk of the Divine and the Chantry.

Was this what their life together was going to be all the time? Did they have any hope of a normal life? Or were they snatching moments here and there, taking on board everything else at the expense of their own happiness? She walked over to where Lelianna stood and took her hands in hers, running her fingers along the back of her hands.

"I am sorry Leli" She whispered "I have been pre-occupied and I have treated you ungraciously."

"On this account I think you are entitled, I would rather you focus your anger at me, then some other poor Ley Sister," Lelianna looked into her lovers eyes and saw weariness there, tiredness and dishonour.

She stroked her face and kissed her softly "I will look into this matter with my own contacts within the Seekers but until then, please relax"

"How can I? Anders is – was one of my first recruits, he is murdering people Leli, and its not just Templars any more, its children too so that they will not, in his dysfunctional mind, know the turmoil of being a Mage in the circle. If he continues on this path and the Kings and Queens of Fereldon deem it, the Grey Wardens could be banished once more"

"What do you think he is doing this for?"

Selina moved to the sofa in her room and sat down. It always amused Lelianna that the Commander did not wear the robes of a Mage, unless she was dealing with the Circle direct. She was comfortable in her own skin and her own armour and that was what made her unique and, it was what made her love her more. She did not get angry often, but seeing how much this weighed on her, she wished she would.

"He wants country ruled by mages, like Tevinter, he wants us to be like Tevinter, but he has no inkling of what that would mean, it would give every mage with a grudge reason to kill a Templar and their family just for existing, Blood Magic would run rampant and slavery would be big business." She felt the headache starting at her temple "Alistair is here at the end of the week and my cousin hopefully within the next week, I have sent Oghren to the underground city and Valaana has gone to the last known sighting of Anders."

"I have met your cousin, I asked her to convince Elthena to leave Kirkwall, we all know how that worked out." 

Lelianna sat beside her and kissed her softly, they put their heads together but as they made to kiss again the study door burst open and a Grey Warden stood there with tears streaming down his face.

"Johnas?"

"Its the Queen Commander...she's dead"

"WHAT!"

"Just got the message now, she was poisoned, the King will be here tomorrow and he doesn't know yet it happened after he left"

"Have the Silver Order ride out and meet him, bring him here and do not go through Amaranthine, no one say anything until he gets here"

"Yes Commander" Selina looked at Lelianna and Morrigan who stood behind the Grey Warden.

"What in the name of the Maker now!" 

22.

The Alienage was quiet and that was how Merrill liked it sometimes, it reminded her of the evenings with her family, listening to the songs that rose from the camp fire in honour of the Gods, the stories told about the ancient city and the long gone glory of the Elves. She ignored the smell from the sea, sometimes it was a nice smell but this time of year, with the weather so warm all she could smell was rotting fish.

She felt an arm slip round her waist and turned to see Fenris stand beside her as she looked out over the gateway to Kirkwall. He kissed her forehead she smirked as he swayed a little, too much to drink at the house. Merrill had come to the Alienage to aid in the birthing of a new child and to welcome it to the family within the Alienage. She had done so much for the Elves of Kirkwall and under Sebastian's orders their affairs were kept within the boundaries of their laws, it was the least he could do when Merrill had saved his life before his ascension to Viscount.

She shook her head a little and rested her head against Fenris's arm. "It was a little boy" She smiled happily "Marion gave birth to a little boy, his father is in the guard, Guardsman Deron?"

"Human?" Fenris nodded "Good, he will be pleased, it took him long enough to persuade Marion that he was in love with her for her, what did they name him?"

"Andresco"

They turned as the said Guardsman came running out of his home and made a beeline for Merrill, laughing and hugging her close.

"My apologies Keeper" He stepped back and cleared his throat "Thank the Maker for you and the Gods."

Merrill laughed "I only helped, your good wife did the rest of it Deron, now go be with her and your son."

"Sargent, would you be kind enough to let the Captain known that I won't be on duty tomorrow..."

Fenris raised his hand to stall any more chatter "I am sure, under the circumstances Aveline will not mind, I will tell her in the morning and as you are a member of my squad, I will tell her I have given you the week off." 

Deron saluted and kissed Merrills hands then ran back to the house where his mother was waving at him to come back and see his wife and son. "Both of you please, come and join us for a drink...it would be an honour Sergeant, Keeper..."

"In a moment my friend" Fenris called back and drew Merrill into his arms. "Who would have thought that I would have fallen in love with a mage"

"Stranger things have happened" Merrill chuckled

Fenris shrugged, he himself couldn't believe how times had changed. He still hated Mages with a passion, and he had not agreed with Merrill using Blood Magic but, it had been times that had saved his and their friends lives on more than one occasion, still it took a while for him to even pluck up the courage to ask her on a date, no life could not get better than this.

"Why are we hurrying?" Aveline asked Kira as they rounded the corner towards the Alienage.

"Because I want to see the new baby, Merrills been like a cat on a hot tin roof since she was asked to be midwife over the birth. And I want to see if everything was OK."

"Deron is one of my best guards but I have no wish to intrude at this time..."

"Oh come on Aveline, stop being so well warrior type, for once let your maternal instincts flow" Kira Chided.

"And you don't?"

"I still go gaga at the thought of holding a baby, I just know when to give them back that's all."

They turned into the Alienage in time to hear Merrill scream in rage. Looking at each other they sprinted over to where Merrill lay holding Fenris's body in her arms. Her scream brought others from their homes. Hawke looked around trying to see if she could find his assailant.

"Merrill..." Aveline crouched down beside her friend to see the gaping hole in Fenris's chest. They had not seen someone pass them so the assassin had to still be here.

Fenris raised his blood soaked hand to Merrills cheek, his mouth worked but no sound came from it.

"We'll save you Fenris" Merrill tried covering the wound with the herbs that had been placed at her feet by one of the other Elves who was now trying to stop the bleeding with healing magic. "Just hold on..."

Hawke caught a fleeing shape mingled with the crowd and shouting for Aveline gave chase. With her friend by her side they chased the assassin through the back streets of Lowtown and down the passageway that led to the Undercity.

They dodged the arcane bolts that flew at them and the fire that hurtled its way towards them, growling and cursing in her native tongue Aveline raised her shield and covered Kira and herself. Kira glanced up and apologising to Aveline, she took a run up Avelines armour and onto the rafters that formed the roof support of the undercity.

Aveline knew very well what was going on but their quarry did not. She took a long look at the man, in his mid thirties she reckoned, with the same strange markings that Fenris had, why would he attack Fenris in such a way? Aveline knew that Fenris's marks were a badge of shame to him but this foul cretin was loving the power the lyrium gave him.

Right now though he looked like a deer caught in the Blight Wolfs sight. He had not seen where Kira had gone and was frantically looking around to see if the famed Champion was anywhere behind or to the side of him, he had been told to kill the Tevinter Elf, he had been told to leave a message, no one told him that he was not only dealing with the tenacious Guard Captain of Kirkwall but her best friend the Champion as well.

He flung an inferno spell but Aveline had seen it coming and dived for cover out of its sphere of influence, but not before it caught her left leg, crying out in pain as it burnt she batted it with her glove. Kira saw red, and dropped down behind the Mage, with her blades working in unison she cut into him enough to bring him down and dropped onto his chest, her blades at his throat.

Aveline limped over and stood beside Kira, her own blade at the mages throat. "Who sent you?" She demanded,

The Mage sneered despite his own wounds, Kira saw the markings and gave Aveline a questioning look, what sort of person would do that, Fenris had been in pain with his for a long time, and yet this human looked to be enjoying whatever it was the markings were doing to him, he laughed and spat lyrium coated blood.

"Did Denarius's colleagues send you!" Aveline growled again, her tone more threatening then even the Hawke had heard before.

"No, a message from my Lord and Saviour Anders...tying up loose ends" The Mage coughed and laughed "he said to tell you that all who tried to ridicule him and berate him for his life choices will pay and the Elf slave was but the first in a long line of pain and strife for you all."

Before Kira or Aveline could react he was lifted up on tendrils of blood and thrown across the derelict area his brains splatting across the wall as his head exploded and his neck broke.

"May the dread wolf have mercy, because I never will"

They stared as a blood soaked enraged Merrill clenched her fists, blood magic energies swirling around them. Kira got to her feet and helping Aveline the cautiously moved to where their friend stood.

"This was Anders doing" It was not a question "Anders murdered Fenris because of differing philosphies?"

"Seems that way Kitten" Hawke gently said "Is he..."

"He died in my arms" Merrill raised her head, tears forming in her big hazel eyes "I want Anders dead, before he hurts anyone else I want him dead!"

"I think Merrill it might be sometime before we extract justice on Anders, but we will I promise you that" Aveline vowed.

Hawke glared at the body and walking over knelt down to inspect it. Aveline waited her arm protectively around her friend.

"Something on your mind Kira?"

"Fenris got his markings in Tevinter, he said that this can only be done by blood magic and lyrium" She mused "So if this man worked for that Wanker, then he has connections in Tevinter, someone in Tevinter is helping Anders" She got to her feet "A puzzle for another time, right now lets mourn our friend."

Isabella came down the stairs and joined Aveline who was being tended to by the First Enchanter. "It is a good thing your reflexes are sharp Captain" Serrano told her as he finished up "You could have lost your leg." 

Aveline said nothing but sat straighter as Isabella joined them, taking the drink from Varrick. "I've just managed to get her to sleep"

"Dumb stupid Blonde haired idiot" Varrick murmured "Why do this? Why now and why send someone else to do his dirty work for him"

The dwarf sat by the fire next to Kharn and stroked the sad looking Mabari. He had been the only one to remain cordial towards Anders, he had never liked what the man stood for but he had liked the tales that Anders would tell him about his time with the Wardens. Now all that counted for nothing.

They had sent Fenris to the Maker on a funeral pyre, Daisy was in a magical induced sleep thanks to the First Enchanter giving Isabella something to put in her drink, and to calm the Blood Magic within her that screamed out to her for vengeance.

They had listened as Aveline and Kira had described the markings that had been tattooed on the man's skin and the First Enchanter had concurred with Kiras curiosities. He listened and asked his cousin to draw how they were on the dead mages skin.

Kira shrugged "I don't need to draw them Serrano, they looked exactly like Fenris's markings"

"Please humour me Kira,"

Taking a pen and paper, shrugging she did as he asked and showed him it. Aveline cocked her head sideways and pointed.

"There was a tattoo here, but that was not in lyrium, it looked like a small red dragon or wyvern maybe"

Serrano sat himself back and studied the markings then nodded "This rogue has allies in Tevinter, no circle in Fereldon or the Marches or even Orlais would ever do this, lyrium is precious enough and much gets used in the Harrowing as well as other things. Blood Magic is outlawed here but in Tevinter it is paid lip service and the human cost is astronomical for this sort of magic."

"Why would Tevinter help him?" Isabella asked as Sebastian and Cullen rejoined them.

"I doubt it is Tevinter itself, but maybe a mage with a grudge against Templars and who agrees with everything this renegade and his deranged followers are doing, although how many innocents lost their lives completing this ritual I dread to think."

Cullen crouched down and stroked the Mabari, it was all a nightmare to him, a horrible nightmare that was coming back to life. He had lived with his own fears when he had been a captive of the Blood Mages in Calenhad Tower. It had made him stronger as a Templar and in his faith for the Maker, but now, now he saw those Mages faces at every turn, those that had been part of Uldreds rebellion and the Templars and Mages, Apprentices and Children that had died because of it.

Sebastian joined his friends and looked at them all "When do we go look for this murdering tosser?"

"When Avelines leg has healed" Kira spoke.

"That's good to hear sister, for I have an invitation for you from the Grey Wardens of Amaranthine and our Cousin Selina." Hawke got up to see Bethany stand in the doorway with Nathanial Howe.

"Which is?"

"Which is to join forces to stop Anders" 

"Is this for Grey Warden honour too Ser Howe?" Aveline asked.

"Our Commander feels, and rightly so, that the danger he poses to both the people of Thedas and the Grey Wardens is too high a prospect to forget about him."

"He had someone come and murder Fenris Bethany." Hawke told her sister.

"Makers breath, where is Merrill?"

"She is sleeping."

"No I'm not" Merrill came down the stairs "So when do we leave?"

Kira glanced at Aveline who nodded "Dawn tomorrow, we'll have the crew ready. Bethany this is Serrano Amell...Selinas brother and our cousin"

Bethany arched an eyebrow and went to say something when Serrano took her hand and kissed it "It is a pleasure to meet you cousin."

Cullen got to his feet "I will have a company of Templars..."

"No" Nathanial barked, casting a sideways glance at the First Enchanter "Templars are a target in Fereldon to these maniacs, do not come in your armour Sur Cullen, come in warriors garb but not Templar armour and no Templars...I would rather not advertise our route."

"I was not aware Selina had a brother" Bethany whispered to Kira "She has never mentioned him."

"Because they believed each other dead" Kira held her sisters hands and drew her in to a hug "It is good to see you again Bethany"

Bethany returned the hug and stepped back "We will find Anders Sister, I promise you that"

"At the moment I think Merrill needs to find him more" Kira glanced across at the Dalish Elf who stood with Isabella listening to the First Enchanter and Sebastian.

Bethany nodded and Kira noticed how her gaze lingered on Nathanial. She covered the smile with a sip of wine and raised her glass "To Fenris, may he watch over our journey and guide us to the man who took his life."

23

The Horses came into the courtyard like a thousand marching soldiers. Selina was in her full armour and as soon as Alistair dismounted everyone, except Morrigan, moved to one knee. Alistair thanked his escort and removing his riding gloves walked up to the kneeling Warden and her retinue. The soldiers within waited for the signal from the Commander, when she rose they all did and the soldiers snapped to attention.

"This is a great turn out Commander, hello Lelianna"

"Majesty." Lelianna inclined her head.

"Oh don't be such a prude, its Alistair to you, always will be."

Lelianna allowed him to kiss her cheek and hugged him, the skin of a King seemed to sit well with him, and from what she had heard he had grown into the role with little difficulty. He was a canny diplomat as well as a wise ruler.

Alistair's smile vanished when he saw Morrigan. "So, decided to join us again have you? Come from whatever hell you been living in?"

Morrigan caught Selina's warning look and pushed the reply she was going to make to one side "Ah my day has been complete with the arrival of the idiot King, how nice of you to finally arrive Alistair."

Selina rolled her eyes a little, at least it was tamer then what Morrigan could have said and for that she was grateful.

"You honour us with your presence Majesty,"

"Oh not you as well Sel, come on I may wear the kings armour but I am still skinny dipping Alistair..." 

"Alistair I need a word...in private." Selina quietly said.

"Really? I just got here, I was hoping for a tour of the guard and some sparring before we got down to serious matters..."

"Alistair..." Lelianna started.

"I mean I have so much to tell you, how I found Maric and saw Sten...did you know that Sten is Arishock now..."

"Alistair please..." Selina hissed.

"Oh he is also known as the hornless Arishock and a fine one he is too..." 

"Oh Makers patience" Morrigan shouted "Your Queen is dead Alistair...poisoned...now will you shut your fool mouth."

Lelianna saw Alistair's face and with an angry snarl grabbed Morrigan and almost dragged her away. Selina shook her head, somethings never changed and whilst she could see Morrigans point, diplomacy was not her style. She dismissed the guard and warned the officers to make sure not a word of what they had just heard left the keep, she would be very unhappy if anyone breathed a word of this outside the Keep.

"She's lying...that bitch is lying, this is a sick joke and I demand you hand her over to the Chantry for punishment, she said she would never come back and she's lying"

"Yeah like that would work" Selina muttered "Alistair, she is not lying, its why I sent the Silver Order to escort you. I don't know all the details, but after you left the Queen was poisoned, Anora did not survive the night. Alistair I am so sorry."

"No, we were going to adopt a child or I would have gone to see Avernus and see if there was anyway to halt the taint so that we could have a child..."

"Avernus died years ago Alistair" Selina said gently "Is there anything you did that was different? Anyone different in the palace when you left that you did not recognise"

Alistair wasn't listening at first, Selina could understand his reaction but right now she needed the King and the former Grey Warden and as much as she hated herself she was going to have to be like Morrigan.

"Damn it Alistair think for one moment, you are the King of Fereldon, someone has just murdered the Queen and we need you"

Alistair span round and brought a sword to the Wardens throat, his face a mix of grief and fury. Selina raised her hands and saw the point quivering a little.

"MY WIFE IS DEAD! WHAT DO I CARE WHAT ANYONE NEEDS!" he roared.

"Because someone wanted her dead Alistair, and Anders, you remember Anders, the Mage I conscripted into the Grey Wardens when I first came here? He is murdering Templars and innocents alike, is there anyone who hates the Queen enough to want her dead? Or had she angered any Mages?"

Alistair looked at her for a long moment and finally began to lower his sword. Selina pushed the tip of his blade away and took the sword off him, catching him as he fell forwards. She lowered him to the ground and cradled him like a loved one. She handed his sword to Maverlies and just held him,

Lelianna stood beside Alistair as he listened to Selina inform him about everything that had happened. His face became softer when he heard the lies that had been told to her as a child. He eyed Morrigan with disdain, there was no love lost between either of them but, she was the mother of his child, even if his child was a young old god.

"Where is my son?" He asked quietly.

"Maric is home" Morrigan retorted "it would not have been wise to bring him."

"He is a teenager, surely he has asked about me? Or have you poisoned him too like everything else you touch."

"Alistair, I accept you are grieving for your wife, so I will let that pass, do not however, test my patience. He has asked about you and I told him you were one of the Grey Wardens who destroyed the Blight, I might not like you but I have told him all about the Therin history and, as misguided as people in this land seem to be, how the people venerate you as a hero. That is all he needs to know"

Selina rose from her seat and stood between them both, lest they start again. Alistair stance said it all, he wanted to find the person who murdered his wife, he wanted answers but he knew he was not going to get them straight away.

"My sister Goldanna was with my wife when I left, we had just gifted her the land of Magesa. She might know something" Alistair rubbed his brow "I have to go back to Denerim..."

"The Court will deal with the news until we can get you back and when you do I am going with you" Selina told him, she turned to Maverlies "Has the Lady Goldanna arrived at Magesa yet do we know?"

"I didn't think anything of it Commander, but we received a letter two days ago, it said that she must respectfully refuse the Wardens kind offer and she is leaving for Tevinter, she has been made an offer of marriage and taken the gentleman up on the offer,with all that's happened in the last few days it slipped my mind" The Seneschal bowed her head.

"Marriage?" Alistair frowned "She never said anything about that to me, and she said she would gladly accept the old Therin land"

"That's because there is no marriage" Morrigan sighed "Surely you can see through that"

"Morrigan is right" Lelianna agreed "I think your sister poisoned the Queen, it would have to be someone close to her to have slipped the poison in."

"Goldanna don't be ridiculous!" Alistair scoffed.

"The poison would not have taken hold straight away" Lelianna continued "It would have enabled her to leave the Palace unmolested. They would not think to look at the Kings own sister" She perched against the table "As a Bard it is what we would call the perfect assassination"

"But surely she knows what it would do to me, I know she did not like Anora but to murder her!"

"Why not?" Morrigan put her booted feet on the desk and began filing her fingernails "As a Grey Warden your taint would make conception difficult, not impossible but difficult. When you pass over one of her children would be heir, unless you and Anora adopted a child and had them officially recognised as the heir."

"Power?" Alistair scowled deeply "Had we not been able to adopt I had already named Teagans son as my heir"

Selina had been silent throughout the discussion and now spoke what had been playing through her mind, that was the trouble with having perfect recall for a memory, she really did remember every encounter.

"Revenge"

"What?!" Alistair scowled.

"Revenge, when we met Goldanna she was not exactly welcoming to you, she blamed the Therins for the death of your mother. I don't think she would harm you, you are after all her meal ticket, but she hated the Therins, she said it herself, called you the bastard prince who caused her mothers last days to be in grief for the son she thought was dead."

"Then we must go bring her back at least to question her" Alistair stood straighter, a sure sign he was going to go do something stupid.

"She'll be in Tevinter now Alistair, we wouldn't be able to find her yet. Besides you would have to go through diplomatic channels and they take forever." Selina sighed. "if you want to return to Denerim I will ride with you however, I have others arriving next week and with any luck we will find these bastards"

Alistair thought for a moment or two and went onto the balcony that overlooked the Keep and the countryside. He saw one of his personal guard and shouted down to them.

"Angus"

"Liege?" The Knight bowed deeply.

"Ride for Redcliffe, inform Bann Teagan of what has happened in Denerim and ask him to be my voice and my judge."

"He will want to know why you are not there Lord"

Alistair looked over his shoulder for a moment then said "Tell him that I have gone to look for my wife's murderer and the destroyer of all we know. Tell him until I return he is Regent" Alistair removed his seal of office and handed it to Maverlies "Give him the seal."

"As you wish My lord."

"tell him to take a couple of the Silver Order with him" Selina told Maverlies "Just in case"

"Yes Commander."

Alistair, satisfied his word would be taken turned back to face his oldest friend "I cannot wear this armour, I do not suppose you have a spare Grey Warden armour do you?"

"Actually I have an old armour set of yours in the armoury. Maverlies will show you if you wish to be alone." Selina gently said.

"Thanks. I think I will be alone for a while."

Alistair followed Maverlies out the room and down to the armoury. She left him alone and left instructions that he was not to be disturbed. Alistair looked at the armour sets in glass cases, one that had belonged to Sten, Oghren, Zevran, Lelianna, Morrigan, Wynne and even some shards that had been worn by Shale.

Those days seemed less complicated then, now, now it was all turned upside down. The last time he had felt like this was when Duncan had died. He sat on a bench and looked at his wedding ring. Eammon had been right, he said that nothing peaceful lasts forever. Well he would rather be doing something then moping in his palace like some grief stricken child.

If Goldanna murdered his wife then she would pay, the same way Loghain paid for his betrayal at Ostagar. He ran his hands down his face dragging his features into a mask then let go. Selina needed him, of that he was certain, it would be good to ride with her again, to go into battle with her again. He had missed those days. Now he had a reason and if what she was saying was truth, then his wifes assassination seemed to be as much a part of this sordid affair as anything else.

He did not care that Kirkwall had lost its Chantry, especially after the way they treated his people when they came seeking aid. But he did care that innocent people had died in one mans luatic crusade.

He got up and walked to a silver set of armour with a blue plume coming from the helm. The Juggernaut armour. He had worn that when they had killed the Archdeamon. It might bring him the luck he needed now.

He sat back down, put his head in his hands and wept. Morrigan was about to go in but hesitated when she saw him weep. Closing the door quietly she moved over towards him and sat beside him. She removed a second locket from her neck and taking his hand dropped it into it. She got up and without a word she left him alone.

Alistair opened the locket to see a tall well built young man astride a horse. Long dark hair and blue eyes. There was no mistaking it, he glanced back at the door but she had gone. He read the inside.

"To my royal father...may the gods allow us to meet one day...your son Maric"

Alistair swallowed heavily for a moment then put the locket around his neck, so it sat next to the one of his mother.

"Thank you Morrigan" he whispered.

23.

By the time that _The Rivani_ had left Kirkwall harbour, the news of Anora's assassination was already hitting the streets. The group that worked on deck all had sombre faces. To one or two it seemed like just a coincidence, but to others it was more than that. Kira doubted that Anders had killed the Queen himself, but if what that murderer had to say was any stock to go by, he was planning something big. She took her place by the wheel and steered the vessel out of the harbour and headed South, towards Amaranthine. It would take a week maybe a little more to get there, Maker willing. She had not been surprised about Serrano coming, he must have wanted to see his sister again after so long apart, she wondered if he had butterflies about the idea, she did and that was her cousin, it must have been worse for him.

Her butterflies were because she had never met Selina, although apparently they had met once as children, before Selina and Serrano had been sent to the circle, Kira did not remember it but from the way that Bethany had spoken about her, well it seemed that her little sister had a new hero in her life, which was good, but it was also good that they would work together, there was not a day that went by that Kira did not wonder if she had ever done the right thing by taking Bethany on the trip to the deep roads. The angst between them afterwards, the rift that it had caused between her and her mother. But, to look at her now, free with no more looking over her shoulder for a Templar death squad, well that was all that Kira wanted. By the looks of it Kira and Serrano were not the only ones taking Bethany's time.

She saw her little sister on the deck, leaning on the railing with her arm through her fellow Grey Warden Nathanial, and he kissed her forehead every so often, the smile that was on his face mirrored her sisters own. For the first time that Kira could ever remember, Bethany was in love, not just a crush, she had seen some of them and growled them off her when she was a teen and Kira was a younger soldier, but this was no crush. She couldn't blame her sister for wanting some piece of happiness. She had been landed with a slow lingering death sentence, so to find any happiness was a godsend; maybe it was better that she found that love in the company of another Grey Warden, they alone knew what their lives entailed.

The flag flew at half mast, as a mark of respect for the murdered Queen, her thoughts returned to the news that was now sweeping through the Marches and other parts of Thedas. Nathanial had been devastated. He had met the Queen once or twice, she had been a friend of his sister Delilah, Bethany had met her once when she was in Denerim with the Commander, and to Aveline and Kira this was their Queen that had been murdered.

There was no reason why any of Anders crazy loony toon followers would want the Queen dead, it did not make sense, but Kira thought about it a bit more and wondered if it had anything to do with what had happened at Ostagar; Loghain had been killed by the Warden Commander at the Landsmeet in Denerim when Alistair had challenged for the throne. He had paid for his betrayal of the King and the Grey Wardens, but even though Alistair had married Anora and if the court whispers were to be believed, were very happy together, there were still those who believed that she should have been executed like her father. The Loghains were traitors to some peoples minds, and even Alistair could not quell that kind of thinking. She knew Anders, and she knew that he would see no political gain in this, if that is what he was angling for.

She rubbed her brow and tried to think of something else. Merrill was sitting on one of the deck hatches, staring out to sea, her face a blank to others but those who knew her, every now and then she would wipe her eyes and then return to staring at a point beyond the horizon. Never one to shirk work Aveline was stripped down to a t-shirt and helping with the rigging. At this moment she was high up repairing a broken sail, Kira flipped her a salute and laughed in shock as the red head came flying down from the top mast like a pro.

She came and joined her friend brushing her hands together. Aveline had no fear of heights or trying anything, even Isabella had said that.

"So" Aveline finally said "Do you believe Anders is behind the murder of the Queen?"

"Nope" Kira shook her head "Probably someone who still had a grudge against the Loghains for Ostagar...sins of the father and all that" Kira lowered her gaze a little "Still its a bit strange to be going home under these circumstance, this is the first time home for you since Lothering isn't it?"

Aveline nodded "I might head to Lothering later, assuming we have the time."

"I will make the time, I want to see Carver and I am sure you want to see Wesley." Aveline nodded but said nothing more. "Besides I want to talk to my father, sometimes the dead speak wiser than the living."

"Profound for you"

"My cousins been teaching me new speeches"

"Andrastes tits I hope not"

Kira uttered a shocked laugh and shoved Aveline a little. They watched as Varrick chided a new sailor for being sick over the side. Then presented him with breakfast to which the young man promptly threw up again.

"Call yourself a sailor bah, you'll have to toughen it up kid" He scalded and looked up to where Aveline and Kira stood "Breakfast is served ladies...it seems that the First Enchanter is a dab hand with eggs, sausage, bacon, tomatoes and the like."

"I'll take it Mistress Kira, The Cap'an let us eat first." Urgo, Isabella's first mate took over from Kira and not wanting to miss breakfast they made their way down, stopping to talk to Merrill. It took a little while, but eventually they convinced her to join them, by telling her that Fenris would not want her wasting away. Kira looked out to the horizon and like Aveline and Merrill felt the draw of her true home.

Lelianna sighed happily as she relaxed in Selina's arms, they had spent most of the night catching up, in many different ways. Now as the first beams of light played through the window she nuzzled her lovers neck, there was some truth in the virility and stamina of a Grey Warden that was certain.

"I think you need to rest Mon Amour" Lelianna grinned a little and ran her finger down Selina's nose.

"I don't need that much sleep you know" Selina locked her arms round Lelianna's waist and kissed her softly,

"I spoke with Alistair and Morrigan and the Seneschal last night before I came to bed, it seems you have had very little sleep since you found about the depth of this whole sordid affair, so the Seneschal will run the Keep and Alistair will take over until Nathanial returns. The King has told me to tell you, you are no good to him weary, he needs you to rest, so you will sleep, even if Morrigan has to put a sleep spell on you."

"She fucking would as well" Selina mused and ran a hand through her dark black hair "What about you?"

"Oh I am going into Amaranthine to speak with a friend of mine there. Then I am coming back here to make sure you are doing as you are told." she lay down "now sleep until breakfast, Morrigan says she will bring it up to you. You er you know that she gave Alistair a locket with a picture of their son don't you?"

Selina lay down her arm around Lelianna's shoulder and stroked her skin with her other hand. "I don't know why you and Alistair get so riled by her, you of all people know that the more you react to how Morrigan is, the more she'll do it."

"She was a little Callous Sel"

"No she was telling him to shut up, she could have been more subtle about it, but subtlty is not Morrigans style. Anyway giving Alistair the locket means that she was sorry. She didn't have to do it, but she does love her son and I won't allow anyone else to say otherwise. Whatever else she might be, she has never lied to me or betrayed me"

"Sel,"

"Hmm"

"When you take the long walk...how do you know?"

"How do I know what?"

"When it is time to go to the Deep Roads"

"Oh" Selina rubbed her eyes, this was not a conversation she was looking forward to but it had to come sooner or later. "In about twenty years or so I will start having the nightmares of the Darkspawn, more frequent then I do now and more vivid. The taint will start to take hold and it will be time for me to go. Why?"

"I just wondered if you would let me come with you"

Selina sat bolt upright in bed "Why would you want to do that?"

"Isn't it obvious? I would want to be with you until the end"

"And you might catch the taint, I couldn't face the Maker with that on my conscience"

"It would be my choice," Lelianna looked down "We have been through so much together Selina Amell, and if all I have left with you is twenty years or so then when the time comes I would want to be with you, and I will die with you, for no one would be able to take your place in my heart."

Selina swallowed a little and reaching out cupped her hand round Lelianna's cheek "I could never ask you to do that Leli, you have a mission that has been given to you by Andraste herself, I would never ask you to die with all those things around you, your body riddled with the start of the taint, if it was not for the Grey Warden ritual, I would be a talking Darkspawn, and having seen some of them that's a little too unnerving for me."

"I say again it would be my choice, you are my love, my heart and my soul, there is noway I could face life without you in it. My world would be a darker and lonelier place and after what I have heard over the last two days, I am not sure I want to be in it when you are gone."

Selina didn't know what to say. She lay down and brought Lelianna down with her and kissed her forehead, their naked bodies entwined as close as they physically could be.

"Lets not think about it right now Leli, it won't happen for another twenty years or so, we'll decide when the time comes." She thought about Justice living in her soul _if the time comes_, she thought to herself and closing her eyes drifted into a heavy sleep.

She woke with polite coughing to see Morrigan standing before her with a breakfast tray. Lelianna was gone and she was alone. Sitting up she pulled the sheets around her and rubbed her eyes.

"You have had five hours sleep, but you need to eat before you catch up on the rest" Morrigan insisted "So I waited and thought I would take breakfast with you, we haven't had much chance to talk you and I, what with the news of Anora's assassination and Alistair's arrival."

"Looks good."

"Of course it is I cooked it myself, that damn cook of yours can't even cook a fried breakfast the way I used to cook it in the camp."

"You mean before or after you chased Duke around because he had left a half eaten hare in your underwear"

Morrigan smirked and sat beside her friend, the Grey Wardens nakedness not bothering her in the slightest, after all they had been skinny dipping in the campsite, all thoughts of modesty went out the window after that.

"Is he coming with us?" Morrigan asked.

Selina looked at her dog asleep by the balcony doors and shook her head. "He's getting too old now Morrigan, I would rather he stay here and look after the Keep." 

"He will want to come" 

"Well that may be so, but I think it best he stay here, he isn't well."

"Is it the taint?"

"He's fought a lot of Darkspawn in his time and I have used the wild flower to keep him fit and healthy but no its old age, he's over 90 in dog years. I think his days of running after bandits and mad tossers is over. He's earnt a rest and I would rather he rest."

Morrigan nodded and munched on some toast before tucking into her breakfast. She picked her coffee up and sipped it then said "So what spirit resides in you and why?"

Selina chewed on her food then swallowed "Justice, he had possessed Finn so that I would enter the fade and confront him. What I learnt from him is pretty much what Finn said anyway. However it seems that I have a brother who was a seeker and became the spirit of Vengeance and possessed Anders when Justice left. Justice was beaten so badly I thought he was going to go to oblivion, so did he."

"You allowed him to reside within you?"

"On the condition that he stayed out of things until we faced my brother Andros" Selina shook her head "he was just a name to me, I never knew him, I was a child when he quote died unquote"

"Doesn't explain why"

"I felt sorry for Justice, he never meant for anything Anders did to happen, yes I flipped when I heard that Anders had taken Justice but Anders was murdering his way through the order even then and using Justice to do it. He is no demon, I think however that Andros is, Spirits do not murder, demons do and I think my deranged brother is a demon. When it comes to fighting him that will be Justices battle, mine is with Anders"

Morrigan nodded again and dipped her toast into her egg. "Did you ever use that gift I gave you?"

"No I put it away planning on using it but never got round to it why?"

"You should. It is a cure to stop the Taint."

"What?" Selina choked on her tea and stared at her friend "How...there is no cure."

"There is if you know where to look. I did not tell Lelianna this as I wanted you to know. You will bear the taint, it is what makes you a Grey Warden, but it will not spread and you will not become a Darkspawn."

"Why – why would you do that?"

"Does there have to be a reason? Obviously I can't do the spell again, so what I told Lelianna remains partly true, that after a set amount of years, you come to my realm, and there you can live the rest of your life with Lelianna with no fear of being called to do others dirty work and you will just vanish, Warden of legend that you are."

"Morrigan..."

"You are my friend and I do not want to loose my only true friend in this world. Please Selina, take it."

Selinas eyes met Morrigans amber eyes and eventually she nodded "We keep this to ourselves?"

"Its a one off, something I did as a thank you and I would have come to collect you at the appointed time."

"You know people might think you are a bitch and a callous piece of work, but that's cause they don't know how to handle you, I do and you are my best friend Morrigan and thankyou for this."

Morrigan held her gaze for a few more moments then turned her head "Let us talk about something else before I get bored and have the urge to dive from the top window for all this sassyness."

Selina laughed, for the first time in days a genuine laugh and nodded "We wouldn't want that would we"

"Well Alistair would and possibly that bard of yours but meh what do I care," Morrigan shrugged.

Selina shoved her playfully and tucked into her breakfast once more. Morrigan scowled but it was a fake scowl, one that hid a lot more about her affection for the Warden than she cared to speak about. She might not have shown it to everyone, but Selina was more than a friend and Morrigan had no idea how much she would need that friendship in the years to come.

Neither of them did.

25.

Magesa was quiet, Oghren couldn't see much from his vantage point, but he was burning with rage, his two companions had been killed before they had even got to Orzamarr by a group of blood mages, who seemed to forget that magic has no real effect on Dwarfs. Well not this dwarf. He had killed one and wounded the other, not mortally but, enough to follow his trail and it had let him here.

He settled in for the duration when he felt a hand on his shoulder, turning round with his axe raised he saw Valaana beside him crouch down. She looked like she had seen ten shades of grief. "You been following me?" He hissed.

"No, one of the injured in the Rainton Forest spoke of this place," Valaana whispered "I have some men from the Hammers with me and they are at strategic points around the camp" She was concerned by his appearance, she had come across the dead Warden Scouts a little way off but, she did not show her concern, settling beside him she raised her eye glass and said "I smelt you upwind"

Oghren would have thought of a witty sarcastic come back if he had the mind too but not this time, he really couldn't be bothered, and truth be told he was glad of her company, even if he would not admit it.

"I ain't seen a sodding movement for over five hours" He drew his axe slowly and brought it under him, least the shine of the blade gave him away "Its like the town is deserted"

"It's not" Valaana pointed "but there are some very interesting guests here"

"You hear anything?" He wasn't being factious, Valaana had excellent hearing, it was one of the reasons she was sent on reconnaissance missions, her Intel was one of the best around. She closed her eyes and cleared her mind of everything that was around her. Just focused on the scene below her. After a while and with a pale trembling hand, she made a sound of an owl and looked at Oghren.

"They are from Tevinter, it would seem Anders has left for the mage state to prepare for war."

"What?" Oghren snarled "You are kidding me, does he even know what he is letting himself in for?"

"He knows. That man there is called Juserious, he represents a powerful Tevinter Magistrate by the moniker of the Grey Lady. All that is left there, are those that would be useful to this Magistrate. I do not advise taking them on, but maybe leave a message with the nearest Templar Order."

"I doubt that would work" Oghren dourly replied "This lot come under the protection of Orzamarr"

"What? Why?" 

"Gold, they been buying an awful lot of lyrium, so the bastard that killed my scouts said, he was quite gleeful about the matter before I took his fucking head off. Orzamarr won't be worried about Tevinter, in days gone by relations with the old Empire were a main stay of the Dwarves."

"Because of the lyrium"

Oghren nodded "We better get back to the Keep, Sel needs to hear about this, and if Tevinter is involved, then this is a whole different nug game"

They made their way down to the horses and saddled up. Oghren cast a look at the woman he was always verbally sparring with. She looked at the covered body behind his saddle. "Who is that?"

"The bastards of Orzamarr left Sigrun top side," Oghren snarled "I am taking her home."

Valaana stopped the horses and got down. Looking around her she commanded the trees nearby and as Oghren watched, a rack was constructed. She got her men to hitch the ends to their stirrups and with Oghren beside her, placed Sigruns body on it.

"They couldn't have laid her to rest in dignity?"

"No she was legion of the dead, a duster, even though he says he is for all Dwarves to have a right, when it comes to politics, Bahlen would rather throw a duster to the Darkspawn then have them interned within an ancestors tomb." Oghren clenched his fists "he has no idea what he is dealing with. Tevinter and that insane blonde haired murderous nug humping prat ruling this land won't bother him, but it bothers me cause I read up what they did to the humans and elves that fell under their empires control. Don't wanna live like that thank you very much"

"What about the bodies of your scouts."

"Nothing left of them" Oghren got back on his horse with help from one of the Hammers. "Those Blood mages stripped them to bones."

Valaana glanced back at the body that was covered and lifted the shroud a little, although the body was badly mauled by the Darkspawn it was still Sigrun. She lowered the shroud and placed her hand over the body for a moment and looked at Lieutenant Tamso.

"This woman is whom your order is named for Tamso, bear her with dignity as we take her home."

Tamso removed his cloak and took the shroud from the body then covered it once more with his own cloak. He brought his left arm across his chest and bowed his head in respect to the warrior whose name he fought under.

The ride to Amaranthine was in silence. Oghrens thoughts were consumed by grief and anger. Grief that he had lost two under his command and anger that the King had treated a Grey Warden with such indignity, when this was over he was going back to Orzamarr and he was going to teach that murdering sonofabitch everything about honour and respect.

Valaana broke the silence and said quietly "Oghren, if what we have seen is truth and not just mad rantings, if war comes to Fereldon, would you regret anything?"

"Huh?" Oghren came out of his own thoughts and scowled a little.

"I mean if it was obvious there was no return, lets face it war with Tevinter means essentially a war against a realm of magics that no many Fereldon mages can cope with."

Oghren thought for a moment and muttered "Valen, you?"

"Not finding my sister."

"Its not that you haven't tried Valaana there are miles upon miles of deep roads, she could be anywhere if she's there at all." Oghren shifted in his seat.

Valaana looked at him "Why don't you go see your son, don't let him grow up believing his father didn't care about him"

"He's better off not knowing me." Oghren muttered.

"For who Oghren? You or him?" Valaana turned in her saddle "You might think you are doing the right thing by staying away from him and Felsi, but Valen needs his fathers experience in his life journey as well as his mothers. No one is saying get back with Felsi, we both know Oghren that will not happen, I do not know what happened to make you so, shy of commitment but that is your affair..."

"My ex wife Branka was a living Paragon and went insane searching for the Anvil of the Void" Oghren glared "It was how I met Selina, I had to kill her and not only that, on top of it all she was having an affair with the captain of her house guard who was a woman!"

Valaana was shocked to hear his pain but held her ground "Is it any right to blame Felsi for that or your son?" She looked ahead "Do as you see fit Oghren, but remember this, one day you will be taking the long walk or killed in battle somewhere, if you don't try your son may not even want to remember you. As far as I am aware that is the loneliest place for a dwarf to be"

Lelianna sat in the Chantry and waited, she was not here to see the Revered Mother, she sat with her head bowed making a thought for the Maker and Andraste. Her mind was in turmoil, how could the Chantry ever do anything so evil as to make sure a line thought it was all but dead? Everything she had believed the Chantry to believe was upside down now.

A man sat next to her, dressed in the uniform of the Seekers. "Greetings Sister Nightingale" He bowed his head "What can I do for the Right Hand of our most holy mother?"

Lelianna took in his appearance, short cropped brown hair, dark grey eyes and a slight moustache sitting on his top lip "I want you to take a message to Cassandra Penterghast for me"

The Seeker nodded and waited for her to hand over whatever note it is "As you command Sister,"

"You are?"

"My manners, I am Brother Akanrna, I am the messenger for the order of Seekers here in Amaranthine."

"Well Brother Akanrna, the message is this...tell Cassandra she was right and to prepare accordingly"

The Brother rose to his feet and bowed his head "Is there any message for the Divine?" 

"No" Lelianna closed her eyes "What I have to say to the Divine is for her ears only"

He bowed his head once more, made the sign of the Maker and left Sister Nightingale to her thoughts. Lelianna sat back in the pew and looked at the statue of Andraste that dominated the front of the Chantry.

Weeks ago Cassandra had told her in confidence that she thought change was coming, especially with the destruction of the Kirkwall Chantry. She did not believe it would be for the better and she did believe that war was coming. After she had finished talking to Varrick she had asked Lelianna if the Hero of Fereldon would ever fight for her homeland again? At that time Selina was wandering the land, she had left Vigils Keep and gone about her own pilgrimage to the Shrine of Andraste, after that she had vanished for a few months. No one knew where, not even Lelianna who was worried.

"_My love knows to return when she is needed" She had said "But I will find her, I do not know if what you believe will come true Cassandra, but we can keep an eye on things here"_

"_This Anders...he is going to be trouble Lelianna" Cassandra heaved a sigh "I can feel it, why would The Champion let him go?"_

"_Do you not know? The Champion and the Warden are cousins, they have an outlook on life that is similar to them but different for others. I suspect The Champion believed that Anders would atone for what he had done, hand himself over to the Circle. As we know he did not."_

"_Something is not right Lelianna, something is not right at all."_

"_If that day comes then I will let you know if you were right"_

Cassandra had been right. She had said that change was going to envelope them all, that all they had known would come to an end, Lelianna wondered if she thought it was going to be like this. The Circle and the Chantry keeping the secret of the Amells true fates from the Warden. Lelianna felt the tear fall down her cheek and she didn't bother wiping it away. She had loved Selina from the moment she had seen her, she had wanted to be with her always, but duties of the Chantry had always kept her away and now she knew why.

The Chantry loved the idea that one of their order was the lover of the Hero, the Commander of the Grey of Amaranthine, it meant that they could watch her, she was after all a Mage, not only a Mage who was Commander of an ancient order, but the only Mage to hold land and title. This had not sat well with them, but they could not interferer in such things, the Grey Wardens had their own mandate and they were ancient ones.

She always believed she could trust Dorothea, Dorothea had saved her life when Marjolaine betrayed her, Dorothea who was now Justina V had been like a second mother to her and was the greatest player of the Game still alive. Now, now she did not know what to think, all she could track was the truth and the truth was, the Chantry and Circle were scared but of what she did not know.

She made the sign of the Maker before the Statue of Andraste and walked out of the Chantry. The beautiful youthful features off the Bard of Orlais, were set in stone.

Selina watched as Oghren and Valaana returned. She walked over to them and listened as Oghren told her about Sigrun. She ordered the body be taken and cleaned up then placed in internment. She lifted the cloak and closed her eyes as she saw the ravaged corpse. Her left hand clenched into an angry fist and it glowed a little, it took a great deal of control on her part to bring her rage under control.

The internment would begin as soon as Sigrun had been laid in a coffin and given all the honour such a warrior deserved. She listened as two of her inner circle explained what they had discovered, seen and heard. When Oghren told her about the death of his two scouts, she arranged for their names to be carved onto blank stones and placed within the tomb of the scouts who had not made it to full Warden status.

She shook her head a little. It would appear that the Dwarven King was playing dirty politics once more. Sometimes she wished she had chosen Harrowmont over that murdering little shit, but truth is ugly sometimes, the choice of your morals is not always the best choice. If Harrowmont had been King then he would have been ousted within five years and the whole messy saga would have started again.

She sat before the sarcophagus that had been made for her friend. Made of the finest Orzamarr stone and carved with the iconography of the Legion of the Dead and the Wardens. Kneeling in honour to a warrior passing. She closed her eyes and bowed her head, her own goodbye private and personal.

"The Ancestors keep you Sigrun, you have earnt your place by their side my friend and I shall miss you"

She made the sign of the Maker and got up then looked at the sun, the tear falling down her face. Change was coming, she could sense it on the air, feel it in the wind, Morrigan had told her as much years ago before she had stepped into the Eluvian. Werther it was for good or ill she did not know. All she knew was that from the reports she had read Tevinter was playing its deadly game and Anders was a part of it.

The clouds gathered over the Keep and thunder rolled in the distance. A Storm was coming and the Blight would be nothing compared to what was about to occur.


End file.
